Dubai opens Middle East’s first 100% plant-based meat factory

Dubai opens Middle East’s first 100% plant-based meat factory

Regional favourites will be produced in new factory at Dubai Industrial City

By Wam Published: Fri 17 Mar 2023, 7:55 PM Last updated: Fri 17 Mar 2023, 9:06 PM

The first 100 per cent plant-based meat factory in the region has opened in Dubai.

Operated by the IFFCO Group, the plant is located in the Dubai Industrial City. The factory will catalyse the move towards a more sustainable and healthy food chain in the Middle East, actively supporting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE's Vision 2051 initiative to bolster food security through diversity and innovation.

The factory will provide nourishing, sustainable and healthy local plant-based meat products inspired by the unique flavours of Middle Eastern cuisine.

The global plant-based meat market was estimated to be worth $7.9 billion in 2022, and is forecast to reach $15.7 billion by 2027, according to a report from ResearchAndMarkets.com.

The newly opened THRYVE factory will cater to 30 per cent of the GCC population, stimulating the development of the market for local plant-based products. As per proprietary research, the GCC has the potential to be a future leader in developing food products for flexitarians, people whose diet is primarily vegetarian.

The THRYVE plant-based venture, developed using cutting-edge food technology,