Switch Foods Abu Dhabi

© Switch Foods

Products & Launches

Abu Dhabi-Based Switch Foods Launches Locally Produced Alt Meats Across the UAE

In May, UAE-based Switch Foods opened what was claimed to be Abu Dhabi’s first plant-based meat production facility in the Khalifa Economic Zones. Now, a range of meat alternatives produced at the facility — such as kebabs, soujuk, minced meat, and burger patties — have launched at retailers and food service outlets across the UAE. These include Carrefour, Spinneys, Organic Food Café, Grandiose, Geant, Union Coop, Sharjah Coop, Al Maya, and Abella. Additionally, the plant-based meats are available online from the platforms Talabat, Careem, Kibsons, and Noon. The vegan-friendly, halal-certified products are made from pea protein and are free of major allergens such as soy and gluten. They aim to provide alternatives to traditional Middle Eastern foods, along with more Western-style options. “A true pleasure” …

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Switch Foods facility

© Switch Foods

Manufacturing & Technology

Switch Foods Opens “Abu Dhabi’s First” Plant-Based Meat Facility

UAE-based foodtech startup Switch Foods has opened what it claims is the first plant-based meat facility in Abu Dhabi, located in the Khalifa Economic Zones (KEZAD). Switch aims to offer meat alternatives that cater to local tastes, encouraging UAE citizens to make healthier and more sustainable choices under the motto “Switch for good”. The new 20,000-square-foot facility will produce a range of allergen-free plant-based products, including kabab, kafta, soujuk, minced meat, and burger patties. Ensuring a healthy and reliable food supply The site also features a laboratory, an innovation center, and offices, along with areas for cold storage, preparation, and logistics. It was inaugurated on April 26 in the presence of H.E. Mariam bint Mohammed AlMheiri, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment. “The …

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Emirates Palace vegan rooms

© Mandarin Oriental

Tourism & Travel

UAE: Five-Star Hotel Emirates Palace Launches Vegan Rooms at No Extra Cost

Luxury Abu Dhabi hotel Emirates Palace is now catering to vegan guests with six rooms free of animal products and materials. Whilst in the process of developing new food options for those following special diets, the hotel’s management realised that they did not have any guest rooms suitable for those following a vegan lifestyle. They decided to rectify this by offering rooms with leather-free furniture, wooden floors instead of wool carpets, cruelty-free bathroom amenities, and sustainable bedding. Guests can also enjoy a vegan minibar and in-room dining menu, along with a selection of fruit. The laundry detergent used to wash the sheets is cruelty-free, and key cards are wooden instead of plastic for increased sustainability. Flowers are used to keep the rooms smelling fresh, rather …

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