Officials from the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture recently signed agreements with local food and agricultural companies to develop plant-based alternatives and advance the food tech industry in the country, Arab News reports.
In a signing ceremony held in Jeddah recently, the ministry officials and the Cooperative Societies Council, the Saudi Greenhouses Management and Agricultural Marketing Co., and health foods company Ayla Food Options Co., agreed to encourage healthy plant-based diets and developing meat and dairy alternatives while ensuring local production.
Additionally, the initiative will help support the advancement of agricultural production, promote food security, and enhance environmental sustainability by reducing the need for animal agriculture. Saudia Arabia has one of the biggest dairy farms in the world, Al-Safi Dairy Farm.
Furthermore, the Saudi Ministry of Environment will establish a research center to advance agricultural product development to create alt proteins using food technology.
According to BlueWeave Consulting, the vegan meat market in Saudi Arabia is projected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.4% between 2022 and 2028. Consumer awareness of healthy eating and lifestyle choices and environmental and livestock production concerns are driving the demand.
Some of the companies retailing in the country include VBites, Sonic Biochem Limited, MGP Ingredients, Beyond Meat, Amy’s Kitchen, and Quorn Foods among others. In UAE, this March, food manufacturing group IFFCO began operations of the country’s first alt meat facility and its brand THRYVE, aiming to reach 5% of the market in the region.
