Dubai Industrial City attracts over Dhs350 million F&B investments in 2024

Dubai Industrial City attracted more than Dhs350 million in investments from the food and beverage (F&B) sector in 2024, the region’s leading industrial and logistics ecosystem announced on the side-lines of Gulfood, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre until 21st February.

Reflecting the regional sector’s growth, Dubai Industrial City, one of TECOM Group PJSC’s 10 business districts, attracted more than 25 F&B customers leasing 1.7 million sq.ft. of high-quality industrial spaces in 2024, reaffirming business confidence in Dubai’s position as a hub for innovation and market expansion.

“Localised manufacturing is essential to drive socioeconomic prosperity through the F&B sector,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group, on behalf of Dubai Industrial City.

He added, “We must nurture holistic value chains to underpin the sustainable growth and long-term security of our food stock, in line with the long-term goals of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051.”

Notable F&B investments at Dubai Industrial City last year included Silver Line Gate Group’s (SLG Group) integrated hub to produce more than 100,000 tonnes of dairy products, including milk products and butter, each year. SLG Group has commenced construction on the manufacturing, warehouse, and corporate office facility that will open this year.

Pure Ice Cream, the manufacturer of brands such as Kwality Ice Creams and Hershey’s Ice Cream, also signed a musataha agreement in 2024 to launch a production facility at Dubai Industrial City. The facility will be among the UAE’s largest ice cream factories upon launch in 2026, increasing Pure Ice Cream’s annual capacity by 300 percent.

Dubai Industrial City is located close to Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port, an Etihad Rail freight terminal, and key regional roadways.

The city hosts more than 1,100 local, regional, and international manufacturing champions and over 350 operational factories. Together, this community of manufacturing giants produces over 70 megawatts in clean energy each year, with the district’s environmental contributions further benefitting from Dubai Industrial City’s memorandum of understanding with global technology company Siemens.

Signed during Dubai Industrial City’s 20th anniversary celebrations in 2024, the agreement seeks to nurture industrial efficiencies to enable long-term sustainable development.

WAM