Booming to an impressive $68.5 billion valuation in 2023 and sprinting toward a $100 billion future, the GCC's food and beverage industry is a dynamic landscape of remarkable growth and investment.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the GCC food and beverage market was valued at approximately $68.5 billion, with a projected CAGR of 7.8% from 2024 to 2029
- Saudi Arabia accounted for 52% of the GCC F&B market share in 2023, equating to $35.6 billion in revenue
- UAE F&B sector grew by 9.2% YoY in 2023, reaching $18.2 billion, driven by tourism recovery
- Saudi Arabia produced 1.2 million metric tons of dairy products in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022
- UAE manufactured 450,000 tons of packaged food in 2023
- Qatar's poultry production reached 180,000 tons in 2023, growth 6.2%
- Per capita F&B consumption in Saudi Arabia was 450 kg in 2023
- UAE average household F&B spend $5,200 annually in 2023, up 8.1%
- Qatar F&B retail sales reached $6.2 billion in 2023, growth 10.5%
- GCC food imports totaled $25.6 billion in 2023, with Saudi Arabia importing $12.4 billion worth
- UAE F&B exports reached $8.7 billion in 2023, growth 11.2%
- Qatar imported $2.9 billion in dairy products in 2023
- Saudi F&B FDI inflows $2.3 billion in 2023
- UAE F&B sector attracted $1.8 billion investments in 2023, CAGR 10.4%
- Qatar food processing plants received $450 million FDI in 2023
The GCC food and beverage market is growing rapidly, driven by strong consumption and major investments.
Consumption & Retail
- Per capita F&B consumption in Saudi Arabia was 450 kg in 2023
- UAE average household F&B spend $5,200 annually in 2023, up 8.1%
- Qatar F&B retail sales reached $6.2 billion in 2023, growth 10.5%
- Kuwait per capita dairy consumption 180 liters/year in 2023
- Oman soft drink consumption 120 liters per capita in 2023
- Bahrain packaged food consumption 95 kg per capita in 2023, up 5.6%
- GCC total F&B consumption volume 45 million tons in 2023
- Saudi bakery products consumption 65 kg per capita in 2023
- UAE meat consumption 50 kg per capita annually in 2023
- Qatar poultry intake 45 kg per person in 2023, growth 7.2%
- Kuwait confectionery consumption 12 kg per capita in 2023
- Oman fruit juice consumption 25 liters per capita in 2023
- Bahrain snack food intake 18 kg per capita in 2023
- GCC bottled water consumption 150 liters per capita in 2023, CAGR 6.4%
- Saudi non-alcoholic beverages 90 liters per capita in 2023
- UAE ready-to-eat meals consumption up 15.3% to 12 kg per capita in 2023
- Qatar halal food consumption 380 kg per capita in 2023
- Kuwait dairy products 165 liters per capita in 2023
- Oman edible oils 22 kg per capita consumption in 2023
- Bahrain vegetables intake 110 kg per capita in 2023, up 4.8%
- GCC supermarkets F&B sales $32.4 billion in 2023
- Saudi online F&B purchases 28% of total retail in 2023
- UAE hypermarkets F&B revenue $10.2 billion in 2023
- Qatar convenience stores F&B sales $1.1 billion in 2023
- Kuwait organic food consumption doubled to 5 kg per capita in 2023
- Oman health beverages intake 15 liters per capita in 2023
- Bahrain ice cream consumption 8 kg per capita in 2023, growth 9.1%
- GCC F&B retail outlets totaled 85,000 in 2023
- Saudi per capita F&B spend $1,250 in 2023
- UAE plant-based alternatives consumption 4 kg per capita in 2023, up 20.5%
Consumption & Retail Interpretation
Despite a collective appetite that could satisfy a desert caravan—from Saudi Arabia’s staggering per capita consumption to the UAE's soaring household spend and Qatar’s booming halal market—the GCC's food and beverage industry is digesting a lavish feast of growth, driven by everything from ubiquitous bottled water to a newfound taste for plant-based alternatives and online groceries.
Investments & Sustainability
- Saudi F&B FDI inflows $2.3 billion in 2023
- UAE F&B sector attracted $1.8 billion investments in 2023, CAGR 10.4%
- Qatar food processing plants received $450 million FDI in 2023
- Kuwait beverage investments totaled $320 million in 2023
- Oman dairy farm investments $210 million in 2023, up 7.1%
- Bahrain halal certification investments $150 million in 2023
- GCC F&B total FDI $6.5 billion in 2023
- Saudi Vision 2030 allocated $10 billion for food security by 2023 investments
- UAE sustainable packaging investments $280 million in 2023
- Qatar green F&B projects $190 million funded in 2023
- Kuwait water recycling in F&B $120 million invested in 2023
- Oman organic farming subsidies $85 million in 2023
- Bahrain renewable energy for F&B factories $65 million in 2023
- GCC waste reduction initiatives in F&B $450 million spent in 2023
- Saudi Almarai expanded with $1.2 billion investment in 2023
- UAE Agthia Group invested $400 million in production in 2023
- Qatar Baladna dairy invested $250 million in 2023 expansion
- Kuwait Americana invested $180 million in F&B chains in 2023
- Oman Savola Group F&B investments $140 million in 2023
- Bahrain GFH Financial F&B portfolio $90 million in 2023
- GCC F&B startups raised $1.1 billion VC funding in 2023
- Saudi sustainable agriculture tech $350 million invested in 2023
- UAE food tech unicorns valued at $2.5 billion in 2023 investments
- Qatar carbon-neutral F&B pilots $75 million in 2023
- Kuwait halal export hubs $110 million developed in 2023
- Oman desalination for F&B $95 million in 2023
- Bahrain zero-waste F&B factories $45 million retrofitted in 2023
- GCC F&B R&D spending $850 million in 2023, growth 12.6%
- Saudi NADEC co-op invested $500 million in sustainability in 2023
- UAE Emirates Foods invested $220 million in plant-based in 2023
Investments & Sustainability Interpretation
The GCC isn't just pouring money into food and drink, it's strategically investing billions to future-proof its plates, from securing sovereign supplies and funding food-tech unicorns to retrofitting factories for a carbon-neutral feast.
Market Size & Growth
- In 2023, the GCC food and beverage market was valued at approximately $68.5 billion, with a projected CAGR of 7.8% from 2024 to 2029
- Saudi Arabia accounted for 52% of the GCC F&B market share in 2023, equating to $35.6 billion in revenue
- UAE F&B sector grew by 9.2% YoY in 2023, reaching $18.2 billion, driven by tourism recovery
- Qatar's F&B market expanded to $4.8 billion in 2023 post-FIFA World Cup, with 11% growth
- Kuwait F&B industry valued at $6.1 billion in 2023, CAGR 6.5% forecasted to 2028
- Oman F&B market hit $3.7 billion in 2023, up 5.8% from previous year
- Bahrain F&B sector reached $1.9 billion in 2023, with 8.1% annual growth
- Overall GCC F&B market projected to reach $100 billion by 2028
- Non-alcoholic beverages segment in GCC grew 10.3% in 2023 to $12.4 billion
- Packaged food market in GCC valued at $28.7 billion in 2023, CAGR 8.2%
- GCC dairy products market size was $15.2 billion in 2023, expected to grow at 7.5% CAGR
- Bakery products in GCC reached $9.8 billion in 2023, up 6.9%
- Confectionery market in GCC valued at $4.5 billion in 2023, CAGR 9.1%
- GCC meat processing market at $10.3 billion in 2023, growth 7.2%
- Poultry market in GCC reached $8.7 billion in 2023, CAGR 6.8%
- GCC edible oils market valued $5.6 billion in 2023, up 5.4%
- Fruit and vegetable processing in GCC at $7.2 billion in 2023, CAGR 8.5%
- GCC soft drinks market size $11.9 billion in 2023, growth 10.1%
- Ready-to-eat food market in GCC reached $3.4 billion in 2023, CAGR 12.3%
- Organic food market in GCC valued at $1.8 billion in 2023, projected 15.2% CAGR
- Halal food market in GCC at $45.2 billion in 2023, growth 8.7%
- GCC F&B e-commerce sales hit $2.5 billion in 2023, up 25.4%
- Health and wellness F&B segment in GCC $9.1 billion in 2023, CAGR 11.5%
- GCC infant nutrition market valued $2.3 billion in 2023, growth 7.9%
- Pet food market in GCC reached $0.8 billion in 2023, CAGR 14.2%
- GCC functional beverages market at $3.6 billion in 2023, up 12.8%
- Snack food market in GCC valued $6.4 billion in 2023, CAGR 9.3%
- GCC ice cream market size $1.2 billion in 2023, growth 8.6%
- Plant-based food market in GCC at $0.9 billion in 2023, projected 18.7% CAGR
- GCC bottled water market valued $4.1 billion in 2023, up 7.4%
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
The GCC's collective appetite is a booming, multi-course feast where Saudi Arabia provides the main dish, tourism in the UAE adds the spice, and every niche from pet food to plant-based burgers is fighting for a seat at the rapidly expanding $100 billion table.
Production & Manufacturing
- Saudi Arabia produced 1.2 million metric tons of dairy products in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022
- UAE manufactured 450,000 tons of packaged food in 2023
- Qatar's poultry production reached 180,000 tons in 2023, growth 6.2%
- Kuwait produced 320,000 tons of bakery products annually in 2023
- Oman generated 150,000 tons of fruit juices in 2023, up 5.1%
- Bahrain's meat processing output was 95,000 tons in 2023
- GCC total dairy production hit 5.8 million tons in 2023, CAGR 5.3%
- Saudi wheat production for F&B reached 1.5 million tons in 2023
- UAE beverage manufacturing capacity 2.1 billion liters in 2023
- Qatar confectionery production 45,000 tons in 2023, up 7.8%
- Kuwait edible oil refining output 280,000 tons in 2023
- Oman fish processing volume 120,000 tons in 2023, growth 4.9%
- Bahrain dairy processing plants produced 85,000 tons in 2023
- GCC soft drink production totaled 8.5 billion liters in 2023
- Saudi Arabia canned food output 650,000 tons in 2023
- UAE snack food manufacturing 210,000 tons in 2023, CAGR 8.2%
- Qatar ready meals production 35,000 tons in 2023
- Kuwait frozen food output 140,000 tons in 2023, up 6.1%
- Oman bottled water production 1.2 billion liters in 2023
- Bahrain bakery output 75,000 tons in 2023
- GCC halal meat production 2.3 million tons in 2023
- Saudi poultry farms produced 1.8 million tons in 2023, growth 5.7%
- UAE organic food production 25,000 tons in 2023
- Qatar dairy farms output 120,000 tons in 2023
- Kuwait juice concentrates 45,000 tons in 2023
- Oman vegetable processing 90,000 tons in 2023, up 4.3%
- Bahrain confectionery factories 22,000 tons in 2023
- GCC F&B manufacturing plants numbered 12,500 in 2023
- Saudi food processing employment 450,000 workers in 2023
- UAE F&B factories output value $15.4 billion in 2023
- Qatar beverage plants produced 450 million liters in 2023
Production & Manufacturing Interpretation
The GCC's food industry is clearly rising like a perfectly proofed loaf, as these figures show everyone from Saudi dairy farmers to Qatari confectioners is working seriously hard to keep the region fed, refreshed, and growing bite by bite.
Trade & Exports/Imports
- GCC food imports totaled $25.6 billion in 2023, with Saudi Arabia importing $12.4 billion worth
- UAE F&B exports reached $8.7 billion in 2023, growth 11.2%
- Qatar imported $2.9 billion in dairy products in 2023
- Kuwait F&B imports from EU $3.1 billion in 2023, up 6.8%
- Oman exported $1.2 billion in fish products in 2023
- Bahrain imported 450,000 tons of wheat in 2023, value $0.9 billion
- GCC poultry imports 1.1 million tons in 2023, mostly from Brazil
- Saudi vegetable imports $2.8 billion in 2023
- UAE re-exported $4.5 billion F&B goods in 2023
- Qatar sugar imports 320,000 tons in 2023, value $0.4 billion
- Kuwait beverage imports $1.6 billion in 2023, growth 7.4%
- Oman dates exports 250,000 tons in 2023, $0.6 billion
- Bahrain confectionery imports $0.3 billion in 2023
- GCC total F&B exports $15.3 billion in 2023, CAGR 8.9%
- Saudi meat imports 450,000 tons in 2023
- UAE fruit imports from India $1.2 billion in 2023
- Qatar edible oils imports 180,000 tons in 2023
- Kuwait canned food imports $0.8 billion in 2023, up 5.2%
- Oman mineral water exports $0.2 billion in 2023
- Bahrain bakery ingredients imports 120,000 tons in 2023
- GCC dairy imports $6.7 billion in 2023, mainly from New Zealand
- Saudi soft drinks exports $0.5 billion in 2023
- UAE snack exports to MENA $1.8 billion in 2023
- Qatar frozen food imports $0.7 billion in 2023
- Kuwait halal exports $0.9 billion in 2023, growth 9.3%
- Oman seafood exports to Asia $0.8 billion in 2023
- Bahrain juices imports $0.15 billion in 2023
- GCC organic food imports $1.4 billion in 2023, up 16.2%
Trade & Exports/Imports Interpretation
The GCC's food story is a lavish, import-driven banquet where the region, despite exporting its dates and fish with pride, remains voraciously dependent on the world’s pantry for its daily bread, milk, and sugar.
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