Growing opportunities for organic in the Middle East

23 May 2023

The organic market is booming in the Middle East, and we’re seeing a significant rise in demand for organic and natural products. This article explores the sectors that are trending and the market drivers supporting this growth. We’ve also got an unmissable event on the growing demand of organic and bio products in the Middle East.

Organic growth in the Middle East

Organic and natural are no longer buzzwords in the Middle East, they’re being regarded as preventive medicine. An increased awareness of organic alternatives, coupled with a renewed focus on health and wellbeing has led to organic and natural product suppliers in the Middle East registering a 300-400% rise in the demand for their products.

Organic food in the region grew by 39% in 2020, significantly outperforming average retail value growth for organic globally. With organic packaged food and beverages in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone recording an increase of 5.8%in 2021, the organic and natural food and beverages market in the region is expected to continue this growth trajectory over the next six months to five years.

Trending sectors

In terms of category, growth in organic packaged food was fuelled by organic dairy, which accounts for over a third of the market and recorded a 7.7% expansion in 2021. Organic beverages in the Middle East is fast emerging as a category with vast potential and the market is estimated to reach $15.07 billion with a compound annual growth rate of 13.59% by 2023, up from $7.97 billion in 2018.

Market drivers

The main factors driving consumer demand are health, food safety and environmental concerns. The Middle Eastern food and beverage market is also benefiting from population growth, increasing wealth and disposable income, changing dietary habits, growing tourism, and government support. These factors are combining to drive demand for high-quality and sustainable options.

An important trade hub

Promoting itself as a business-friendly environment with free zones, tax incentives, and streamlined regulations, the UAE is strategically located between Asia, Europe, and Africa, making it an ideal hub for importing and distributing organic and natural products to neighbouring countries. Dubai is now the world’s 3rd largest re-exporter of organic and natural products. The UAE also has a growing e-commerce market, which presents opportunities for importers to sell their organic and natural products online.

The go-to show in the Middle East for all things organic and natural

If you export organic products, the Middle East Organic and Natural Products Expo Dubai offers exporters a unique opportunity to connect with the growing demand for organic and bio products. With +20 years of experience and the support of the UAE federal Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the expo attracts distributors, supermarket chains, private label manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, importers, and other industry decision makers.

The great news for Soil Association Certification clients is that we have agreed an exclusive package with the show organisers for our licensees who want to attend.

This includes:

Year-round promotions to 100k+ followers on the expo's channels
An exclusive 10% discount on exhibiting space

Find out more on our Export Events webpage.

More than just a show – a 365 day export promotion

In addition to the three day expo, exhibitors will get access to an export promotion platform which includes;

A market entry webinar program
Monthly pre-qualified buyer leads initiative
Listing of products on the Arabian organics B2B E-commerce portal, product registration and warehousing
Social media and email campaigns to a targeted database and at least three pre-confirmed meetings at the show.

Want to learn more? Our friends at the show have kindly provided market reports for different product categories to provide a better understanding of what the demand looks like in the region. View the reports here.