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Essential demand, health-led innovation and channel diversification underpin positive outlook
Staple foods in the United Arab Emirates continues to see rising value sales in 2025, supported by the essential role of categories such as rice, pasta and noodles, and baked goods in daily diets, alongside government price controls that help stabilise core staples. Health and wellness trends are reshaping competition, driving organic and clean-label innovation, reformulation in breakfast cereals and processed meat, and greater emphasis on sustainable packaging and ethical sourcing. Private label is expanding in key staple categories as price-sensitive consumers seek quality at competitive prices, with hypermarkets retaining its position as the leading channel while e-commerce gains momentum through convenience and targeted promotions. Artisanal baked goods maintain an edge in premium positioning, and ongoing growth in tourism and the expatriate population continues to bolster the foodservice channel, underpinning a positive forecast for staple foods.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Staple Foods industry in United Arab Emirates with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Staple Foods industry in United Arab Emirates, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Staple Foods in United Arab Emirates report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Staple Foods in United Arab Emirates?
- Which are the leading brands in Staple Foods in United Arab Emirates?
- How are products distributed in Staple Foods in United Arab Emirates?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Staple Foods?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in United Arab Emirates?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Staple Foods in the United Arab Emirates
Essential demand, health-led innovation and channel diversification underpin positive outlook
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Staple foods benefits from essential nature of products
Health and wellness trends impact competitive dynamics
Private label expands amid rising price sensitivity
Further growth forecast for staple foods in the UAE
Innovation in line with prevailing health and sustainability concerns
Hypermarkets will remain preferred channel despite persistent expansion for e-commerce
Baked goods dominated by artisanal brands
Players focus on building consumer trust
Hypermarkets dominates distribution in 2025
Foodservice continues to benefit from tourism
Table 1 Sales of Staple Foods by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 2 Sales of Staple Foods by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 3 Sales of Staple Foods by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 4 Sales of Staple Foods by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 5 NBO Company Shares of Staple Foods: % Value 2021-2025
Table 6 LBN Brand Shares of Staple Foods: % Value 2022-2025
Table 7 Penetration of Private Label by Category: % Value 2020-2025
Table 8 Distribution of Staple Foods by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 9 Forecast Sales of Staple Foods by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 10 Forecast Sales of Staple Foods by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 11 Forecast Sales of Staple Foods by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 12 Forecast Sales of Staple Foods by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
Summary 1 Research Sources
Baked Goods in the United Arab Emirates
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Premiumisation, health positioning and digital convenience underpin rising value sales
Demographic trends support rise in value sales for baked goods
Gourmet bread offers premium experience
Demand for quality and freshness will sustain growth during forecast period
Rising health-consciousness to drive innovation
Sustainability concerns move further to the fore
Almarai leads as artisanal brands maintain stronghold
Health and wellness trends benefit baked goods
Hypermarkets continues to lead distribution in 2025
Q-commerce drives digital expansion
Table 13 Sales of Baked Goods by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 14 Sales of Baked Goods by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 15 Sales of Baked Goods by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 16 Sales of Baked Goods by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 17 Sales of Pastries by Type: % Value 2020-2025
Table 18 NBO Company Shares of Baked Goods: % Value 2021-2025
Table 19 LBN Brand Shares of Baked Goods: % Value 2022-2025
Table 20 Distribution of Baked Goods by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 21 Forecast Sales of Baked Goods by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 22 Forecast Sales of Baked Goods by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 23 Forecast Sales of Baked Goods by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 24 Forecast Sales of Baked Goods by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
Breakfast Cereals in the United Arab Emirates
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Health-driven polarisation and functional demand shape modest category performance
Low growth hampered by health trends
RTE cereals continue to fall
Breakfast cereals faces both growth and challenges in the UAE
Hot cereals to remain key driver
Sustainability as focus of packaging innovation
Kellog remains leader of overall breakfast cereals
Fortification may encourage uptake
Hypermarkets continues to lead distribution thanks to wide assortment and frequent promotions
E-commerce posts fastest expansion among channels in 2025
Table 25 Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 26 Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 27 Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 28 Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 29 NBO Company Shares of Breakfast Cereals: % Value 2021-2025
Table 30 LBN Brand Shares of Breakfast Cereals: % Value 2022-2025
Table 31 Distribution of Breakfast Cereals by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 32 Forecast Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 33 Forecast Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 34 Forecast Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 35 Forecast Sales of Breakfast Cereals by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
Processed Fruit and Vegetables in the United Arab Emirates
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Convenience, frozen formats and sustainability trends sustain value growth
Convenience demand supports further growth for processed fruit and vegetables
Frozen variants see fastest rise in 2025
Convenience to remain key to sustained demand
Health focus likely to benefit frozen options
Players anticipated to increase investment in eco-friendly packaging formats
Gulf food leads with California Garden brand
Green Giant as second-ranked brand in 2025
Hypermarkets remains primary channel
E-commerce offers further growth potential
Table 36 Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 37 Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 38 Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 39 Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 40 Sales of Frozen Processed Vegetables by Type: % Value Breakdown 2020-2025
Table 41 NBO Company Shares of Processed Fruit and Vegetables: % Value 2021-2025
Table 42 LBN Brand Shares of Processed Fruit and Vegetables: % Value 2022-2025
Table 43 Distribution of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 44 Forecast Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 45 Forecast Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 46 Forecast Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 47 Forecast Sales of Processed Fruit and Vegetables by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives To Meat in the United Arab Emirates
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Health-focused reformulation, convenience and sustainability initiatives support ongoing value expansion
Growth driven by player investment in healthier product positioning
Convenience remains key to expansion
Further growth forecast with sharper focus on health and wellness
Regional plant-based meat options expand
Sustainability trend informs packaging and production practices
Sahar leads, followed by Al Islami Foods
Players aim to diversify offerings with varied pack sizes and healthier options
Hypermarkets as primary distribution channel
Discounters set to gain share within processed seafood
Table 48 Sales of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 49 Sales of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 50 Sales of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 51 Sales of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 52 Sales of Shelf Stable Processed Red Meat by Type: % Volume Breakdown 2020-2025
Table 53 Sales of Chilled Processed Red Meat by Type: % Volume Breakdown 2020-2025
Table 54 Sales of Frozen Processed Red Meat by Type: % Volume Breakdown 2020-2025
Table 55 Sales of Frozen Processed Poultry by Type: % Value Breakdown 2020-2025
Table 56 Sales of Frozen Processed Seafood by Type: % Value Breakdown 2020-2025
Table 57 NBO Company Shares of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat: % Value 2021-2025
Table 58 LBN Brand Shares of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat: % Value 2022-2025
Table 59 Distribution of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 60 Forecast Sales of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 61 Forecast Sales of Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives to Meat by Category: Value 2025-2030
Rice, Pasta and Noodles in the United Arab Emirates
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Category resilience, organic expansion and policy support drive continued value growth
Growth driven by convenience and versatility of category products
Organic and natural trends accelerate
Government measures to support growth for rice
Pasta will see health-focused innovation
Green packaging formats become more prevalent
Daily Fresh Foods leads a fragmented landscape
Nong Shim sponsors esports event for brand-building
Hypermarkets maintains distribution lead in 2025
Convenience stores expands rapidly, outpacing all other channels
Table 62 Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 63 Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 64 Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 65 Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 66 Sales of Instant Noodles by Leading Flavours: Rankings 2020-2025
Table 67 NBO Company Shares of Rice, Pasta and Noodles: % Value 2021-2025
Table 68 LBN Brand Shares of Rice, Pasta and Noodles: % Value 2022-2025
Table 69 NBO Company Shares of Rice: % Value 2021-2025
Table 70 LBN Brand Shares of Rice: % Value 2022-2025
Table 71 NBO Company Shares of Pasta: % Value 2021-2025
Table 72 LBN Brand Shares of Pasta: % Value 2022-2025
Table 73 NBO Company Shares of Noodles: % Value 2021-2025
Table 74 LBN Brand Shares of Noodles: % Value 2022-2025
Table 75 Distribution of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 76 Distribution of Rice by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 77 Distribution of Pasta by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 78 Distribution of Noodles by Format: % Value 2020-2025
Table 79 Forecast Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 80 Forecast Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 81 Forecast Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 82 Forecast Sales of Rice, Pasta and Noodles by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Staple Foods
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- Packaged Flat Bread
- Unpackaged Flat Bread
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- Packaged Leavened Bread
- Unpackaged Leavened Bread
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- Packaged Cakes
- Unpackaged Cakes
- Dessert Mixes
- Frozen Baked Goods
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- Packaged Pastries
- Unpackaged Pastries
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- Sweet Pies and Tarts
- Frozen Cakes, Sweet Pies and Tarts
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- Hot Cereals
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- Children's Breakfast Cereals
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- Flakes
- Muesli and Granola
- Other RTE Cereals
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- Shelf Stable Beans
- Shelf Stable Fruit
- Shelf Stable Tomatoes
- Shelf Stable Vegetables
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- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Processed Potatoes
- Frozen Processed Vegetables
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- Shelf Stable Processed Red Meat
- Shelf Stable Processed Poultry
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- Chilled Processed Red Meat
- Chilled Processed Poultry
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- Frozen Processed Red Meat
- Frozen Processed Poultry
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- Shelf Stable Seafood
- Chilled Processed Seafood
- Frozen Processed Seafood
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- Chilled Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Frozen Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Shelf Stable Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Tofu and Derivatives
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- Chilled Noodles
- Frozen Noodles
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- Instant Noodle Cups
- Instant Noodle Pouches
- Plain Noodles
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- Chilled Pasta
- Dried Pasta
- Rice
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Staple Foods
NOTE: Couscous, polenta and quinoa are excluded from staple foods.
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