The GCC food and beverage market reached about $68.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a 7.8% CAGR through the late part of the decade. Consumption is climbing alongside tighter household budgets, with UAE households spending $5,200 annually on food and beverage and Saudi Arabia reaching 450 kg per capita. In retail and manufacturing, growth is uneven, from Qatar’s $6.2 billion F&B retail sales to GCC dairy production totaling 5.8 million tons, showing where demand and spend are concentrating.
Key Takeaways
- Per capita F&B consumption in Saudi Arabia was 450 kg in 2023
- Saudi F&B FDI inflows $2.3 billion in 2023
- 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 produced 1.2 million metric tons of dairy products in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022
- GCC food imports totaled $25.6 billion in 2023, with Saudi Arabia importing $12.4 billion worth
GCC food and beverage demand is rising steadily, driven by population growth and evolving consumer preferences.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption & Retail30 stats
01
Per capita F&B consumption in Saudi Arabia was 450 kg in 2023
02
UAE average household F&B spend $5,200annually in 2023, up 8.1%
03
Qatar F&B retail sales reached $6.2 billion in 2023, growth 10.5%
04
Kuwait per capita dairy consumption 180 liters/year in 2023
05
Oman soft drink consumption 120 liters per capita in 2023
06
Bahrain packaged food consumption 95 kg per capita in 2023, up 5.6%
07
GCC total F&B consumption volume 45 million tons in 2023
08
Saudi bakery products consumption 65 kg per capita in 2023
09
UAE meat consumption 50 kg per capita annually in 2023
10
Qatar poultry intake 45 kg per person in 2023, growth 7.2%
11
Kuwait confectionery consumption 12 kg per capita in 2023
12
Oman fruit juice consumption 25 liters per capita in 2023
13
Bahrain snack food intake 18 kg per capita in 2023
14
GCC bottled water consumption 150 liters per capita in 2023, CAGR 6.4%
15
Saudi non-alcoholic beverages 90 liters per capita in 2023
16
UAE ready-to-eat meals consumption up 15.3% to 12 kg per capita in 2023
17
Qatar halal food consumption 380 kg per capita in 2023
18
Kuwait dairy products 165 liters per capita in 2023
19
Oman edible oils 22 kg per capita consumption in 2023
20
Bahrain vegetables intake 110 kg per capita in 2023, up 4.8%
21
GCC supermarkets F&B sales $32.4 billion in 2023
22
Saudi online F&B purchases 28% of total retail in 2023
23
UAE hypermarkets F&B revenue $10.2 billion in 2023
24
Qatar convenience stores F&B sales $1.1 billion in 2023
25
Kuwait organic food consumption doubled to 5 kg per capita in 2023
26
Oman health beverages intake 15 liters per capita in 2023
27
Bahrain ice cream consumption 8 kg per capita in 2023, growth 9.1%
28
GCC F&B retail outlets totaled 85,000 in 2023
29
Saudi per capita F&B spend $1,250in 2023
30
UAE plant-based alternatives consumption 4 kg per capita in 2023, up 20.5%
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Investments & Sustainability30 stats
01
Saudi F&B FDI inflows $2.3 billion in 2023
02
UAE F&B sector attracted $1.8 billion investments in 2023, CAGR 10.4%
03
Qatar food processing plants received $450 million FDI in 2023
04
Kuwait beverage investments totaled $320 million in 2023
05
Oman dairy farm investments $210 million in 2023, up 7.1%
06
Bahrain halal certification investments $150 million in 2023
07
GCC F&B total FDI $6.5 billion in 2023
08
Saudi Vision 2030 allocated $10 billion for food security by 2023 investments
09
UAE sustainable packaging investments $280 million in 2023
10
Qatar green F&B projects $190 million funded in 2023
11
Kuwait water recycling in F&B $120 million invested in 2023
12
Oman organic farming subsidies $85 million in 2023
13
Bahrain renewable energy for F&B factories $65 million in 2023
14
GCC waste reduction initiatives in F&B $450 million spent in 2023
15
Saudi Almarai expanded with $1.2 billion investment in 2023
16
UAE Agthia Group invested $400 million in production in 2023
17
Qatar Baladna dairy invested $250 million in 2023 expansion
18
Kuwait Americana invested $180 million in F&B chains in 2023
19
Oman Savola Group F&B investments $140 million in 2023
20
Bahrain GFH Financial F&B portfolio $90 million in 2023
21
GCC F&B startups raised $1.1 billion VC funding in 2023
22
Saudi sustainable agriculture tech $350 million invested in 2023
23
UAE food tech unicorns valued at $2.5 billion in 2023 investments
24
Qatar carbon-neutral F&B pilots $75 million in 2023
25
Kuwait halal export hubs $110 million developed in 2023
26
Oman desalination for F&B $95 million in 2023
27
Bahrain zero-waste F&B factories $45 million retrofitted in 2023
28
GCC F&B R&D spending $850 million in 2023, growth 12.6%
29
Saudi NADEC co-op invested $500 million in sustainability in 2023
30
UAE Emirates Foods invested $220 million in plant-based in 2023
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Market Size & Growth30 stats
01
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
02
Saudi Arabia accounted for 52% of the GCC F&B market share in 2023, equating to $35.6 billion in revenue
03
UAE F&B sector grew by 9.2% YoY in 2023, reaching $18.2 billion, driven by tourism recovery
04
Qatar's F&B market expanded to $4.8 billion in 2023 post-FIFA World Cup, with 11% growth
05
Kuwait F&B industry valued at $6.1 billion in 2023, CAGR 6.5% forecasted to 2028
06
Oman F&B market hit $3.7 billion in 2023, up 5.8% from previous year
07
Bahrain F&B sector reached $1.9 billion in 2023, with 8.1% annual growth
08
Overall GCC F&B market projected to reach $100 billion by 2028
09
Non-alcoholic beverages segment in GCC grew 10.3% in 2023 to $12.4 billion
10
Packaged food market in GCC valued at $28.7 billion in 2023, CAGR 8.2%
11
GCC dairy products market size was $15.2 billion in 2023, expected to grow at 7.5% CAGR
12
Bakery products in GCC reached $9.8 billion in 2023, up 6.9%
13
Confectionery market in GCC valued at $4.5 billion in 2023, CAGR 9.1%
14
GCC meat processing market at $10.3 billion in 2023, growth 7.2%
15
Poultry market in GCC reached $8.7 billion in 2023, CAGR 6.8%
16
GCC edible oils market valued $5.6 billion in 2023, up 5.4%
17
Fruit and vegetable processing in GCC at $7.2 billion in 2023, CAGR 8.5%
18
GCC soft drinks market size $11.9 billion in 2023, growth 10.1%
19
Ready-to-eat food market in GCC reached $3.4 billion in 2023, CAGR 12.3%
20
Organic food market in GCC valued at $1.8 billion in 2023, projected 15.2% CAGR
21
Halal food market in GCC at $45.2 billion in 2023, growth 8.7%
22
GCC F&B e-commerce sales hit $2.5 billion in 2023, up 25.4%
23
Health and wellness F&B segment in GCC $9.1 billion in 2023, CAGR 11.5%
24
GCC infant nutrition market valued $2.3 billion in 2023, growth 7.9%
25
Pet food market in GCC reached $0.8 billion in 2023, CAGR 14.2%
26
GCC functional beverages market at $3.6 billion in 2023, up 12.8%
27
Snack food market in GCC valued $6.4 billion in 2023, CAGR 9.3%
28
GCC ice cream market size $1.2 billion in 2023, growth 8.6%
29
Plant-based food market in GCC at $0.9 billion in 2023, projected 18.7% CAGR
30
GCC bottled water market valued $4.1 billion in 2023, up 7.4%
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Production & Manufacturing30 stats
01
Saudi Arabia produced 1.2 million metric tons of dairy products in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022
02
UAE manufactured 450,000 tons of packaged food in 2023
03
Qatar's poultry production reached 180,000 tons in 2023, growth 6.2%
04
Kuwait produced 320,000 tons of bakery products annually in 2023
05
Oman generated 150,000 tons of fruit juices in 2023, up 5.1%
06
Bahrain's meat processing output was 95,000 tons in 2023
07
GCC total dairy production hit 5.8 million tons in 2023, CAGR 5.3%
08
Saudi wheat production for F&B reached 1.5 million tons in 2023
09
UAE beverage manufacturing capacity 2.1 billion liters in 2023
10
Qatar confectionery production 45,000 tons in 2023, up 7.8%
11
Kuwait edible oil refining output 280,000 tons in 2023
12
Oman fish processing volume 120,000 tons in 2023, growth 4.9%
13
Bahrain dairy processing plants produced 85,000 tons in 2023
14
GCC soft drink production totaled 8.5 billion liters in 2023
15
Saudi Arabia canned food output 650,000 tons in 2023
16
UAE snack food manufacturing 210,000 tons in 2023, CAGR 8.2%
17
Qatar ready meals production 35,000 tons in 2023
18
Kuwait frozen food output 140,000 tons in 2023, up 6.1%
19
Oman bottled water production 1.2 billion liters in 2023
20
Bahrain bakery output 75,000 tons in 2023
21
GCC halal meat production 2.3 million tons in 2023
22
Saudi poultry farms produced 1.8 million tons in 2023, growth 5.7%
23
UAE organic food production 25,000 tons in 2023
24
Qatar dairy farms output 120,000 tons in 2023
25
Kuwait juice concentrates 45,000 tons in 2023
26
Oman vegetable processing 90,000 tons in 2023, up 4.3%
27
Bahrain confectionery factories 22,000 tons in 2023
28
GCC F&B manufacturing plants numbered 12,500 in 2023
29
Saudi food processing employment 450,000 workers in 2023
30
UAE F&B factories output value $15.4 billion in 2023
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Trade & Exports/Imports28 stats
01
GCC food imports totaled $25.6 billion in 2023, with Saudi Arabia importing $12.4 billion worth
02
UAE F&B exports reached $8.7 billion in 2023, growth 11.2%
03
Qatar imported $2.9 billion in dairy products in 2023
04
Kuwait F&B imports from EU $3.1 billion in 2023, up 6.8%
05
Oman exported $1.2 billion in fish products in 2023
06
Bahrain imported 450,000 tons of wheat in 2023, value $0.9 billion
07
GCC poultry imports 1.1 million tons in 2023, mostly from Brazil
08
Saudi vegetable imports $2.8 billion in 2023
09
UAE re-exported $4.5 billion F&B goods in 2023
10
Qatar sugar imports 320,000 tons in 2023, value $0.4 billion
11
Kuwait beverage imports $1.6 billion in 2023, growth 7.4%
12
Oman dates exports 250,000 tons in 2023, $0.6 billion
13
Bahrain confectionery imports $0.3 billion in 2023
14
GCC total F&B exports $15.3 billion in 2023, CAGR 8.9%
15
Saudi meat imports 450,000 tons in 2023
16
UAE fruit imports from India $1.2 billion in 2023
17
Qatar edible oils imports 180,000 tons in 2023
18
Kuwait canned food imports $0.8 billion in 2023, up 5.2%
19
Oman mineral water exports $0.2 billion in 2023
20
Bahrain bakery ingredients imports 120,000 tons in 2023
21
GCC dairy imports $6.7 billion in 2023, mainly from New Zealand
22
Saudi soft drinks exports $0.5 billion in 2023
23
UAE snack exports to MENA $1.8 billion in 2023
24
Qatar frozen food imports $0.7 billion in 2023
25
Kuwait halal exports $0.9 billion in 2023, growth 9.3%
26
Oman seafood exports to Asia $0.8 billion in 2023
27
Bahrain juices imports $0.15 billion in 2023
28
GCC organic food imports $1.4 billion in 2023, up 16.2%
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Gcc Food And Beverage Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gcc-food-and-beverage-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Gcc Food And Beverage Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gcc-food-and-beverage-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Gcc Food And Beverage Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gcc-food-and-beverage-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
73 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level