F&B Ecosystem Dubai: Dubai Industrial City Showcases At Gulfood 2026

Dubai Industrial City will showcase future-focused food innovators at Gulfood 2026, taking place from 26th to 30th January at Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Dubai Expo City. The manufacturing and logistics hub plans to use the global food and beverage platform to underline how its ecosystem supports next-generation F&B companies in the UAE and wider region.

During Gulfood 2026, Dubai Industrial City will present its integrated layout, which links production sites with storage and distribution assets. The district is positioned near Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port, primary road corridors, and an Etihad Rail freight terminal, helping manufacturers move ingredients and finished goods efficiently across regional and global markets.

The industrial district is one of TECOM Group PJSC’s 10 specialised business zones and has spent around two decades developing facilities for the food and beverage sector. Dubai Industrial City now hosts more than 1,100 local, regional, and international customers, alongside over 350 operational factories that serve diverse consumer and industrial demand.

Well-known brands within Dubai Industrial City include Patchi and Al Barakah Dates. The community also houses Himalaya Wellness Company, founded in India, which is setting up its first herbal pharmaceutical factory outside India in the district. This cluster of manufacturers reflects Dubai Industrial City’s role as a hub for regional F&B and related industries.

The wider masterplan includes sector-specific infrastructure, such as industrial land plots, warehousing, and logistics facilities. There is a dedicated zone for F&B production, alongside areas for base metals, machinery, minerals, transport, and chemicals. Shared services and close physical proximity are designed to encourage collaboration, shorten supply chains, and support innovation for companies of different sizes.

"The UAE’s and Dubai’s innovation-focused approach to sustainable development is reinforcing its instrumental role in shaping the global future of the food and beverage sector," said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group PJSC, on behalf of Dubai Industrial City. "At Dubai Industrial City, we are actively fostering food innovators that strengthen the UAE’s and Dubai’s position as a leader in the global F&B industry."

Dubai Industrial City is described as supporting manufacturers with conditions that help them innovate, expand, and add to the UAE’s and Dubai’s economic performance. The approach aligns with federal and emirate-level programmes, including Operation 300bn, the National Food Security Strategy 2051, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33, which promote industrial competitiveness and long-term food resilience.

Sustainability will be another focus at Gulfood 2026 for Dubai Industrial City, with organisers highlighting how customers in the district already generate more than 70 megawatts of clean energy each year. The community also draws on a strategic partnership with global technology company Siemens, which supports digital tools and technical expertise aimed at industrial efficiency and long-term sustainable development in the F&B sector.

Visitors engaging with Dubai Industrial City at Gulfood 2026 are expected to see how the district’s infrastructure, policy alignment, and partnerships combine into a single ecosystem. The presentation is set to show how manufacturing, logistics, and sustainability measures within the community contribute to the evolving future of food production and distribution in Dubai, the UAE, and beyond.

With inputs from WAM