Work starts on UAE industrial-scale baby food plant

Work has started on the UAE‘s first industrial-scale factory for the production of baby food purée.

Barakat Group, a UAE-based fresh food and juice producer, has begun construction on the AED150 million ($40 million) facility within Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad), a trade, logistics and industrial hub.

The plant will strengthen local food manufacturing capacity and support growing regional demand for locally produced infant nutrition, the state-run Wam news agency reported, quoting a Kezad statement.

Once fully operational, the 10,000 square metre factory is expected to achieve annual production capacity of 90 million units of baby food product, covering fruit and vegetable purées as well as protein-rich meat and fish. 

The plant is projected to create 200 direct jobs, with additional indirect employment across local supply chains, logistics and agricultural sourcing.

The facility will enable the company to meet regional demand efficiently while creating skilled employment, Barakat managing director Kenneth D Costa said.

The GCC baby formula market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual rate of 7 percent over 2025-2034, reaching $4.5 billion, according to a report by Research and Markets, a global provider of market research and analysis.

Further reading:

• Demand for fresh food drives cold chain investment
• The Gulf must rethink food security in the wake of Trump’s tariffs
• Akshata Kamath: Our love for cheap imported food is costing us dearly