The Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ) concluded its participation in Gulfood 2022, the world’s largest F&B sourcing event, held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) between February 13-17. The free zone successfully highlighted the vibrant business environment and investment opportunities it offers to regional and global food companies.

During the exhibition, DAFZ organized a promotional event that brought together representatives from the free zone with investors, entrepreneurs and owners of F&B companies. The attendees were briefed on DAFZ’s portfolio of offers, services, tax and investment incentives, and business support it provides to investors. The event provided a number of opportunities for side meetings and networking to explore future opportunities with potential partners.

Abdulaziz Alhammadi, SVP – Marketing & Business Growth at DAFZ, confirmed that regional and global F&B companies are aspiring to transfer their operations to the emirate of Dubai. This is due to its strategic location at the heart of global trade, as well as its perennial quest to accelerate and enhance the efficiency of supply chains by making these companies and their production processes closer to distributors across various markets.

Alhammadipointed out that global supply chains faced many challenges imposed by the pandemic, which resulted in an exponential growth in the volume of air freight, especially in the F&B sector. This has strengthened Dubai’s position thanks to the high resilience it has shown compared to other markets during the past period, and its effective management of these chains to ensure the continuity of global trade movement, as well as the efficiency of the emirate’s exceptional air freight ecosystem. Al Hammadi also noted that the high turnout for Gulfood 2022 reflects the increasing interest of international companies in Dubai.

Through its participation in the exhibition, DAFZ sought to attract global F&B companies by highlighting the privileges and world-class services it offers, and introducing them to innovative opportunities and projects in the F&B sector. This include customs incentives, business facilities, logistics services, and premium infrastructure, which depend largely on the distinguished location of the free zone near one of the busiest airports around the world.

Additionally, DAFZ reviewed its portfolio of programs and initiatives designed to support F&B companies and their operations, such as Scality. The one-of-a-kind innovative start-up program which is set to attract local, regional and global tech start-ups to establish and grow their businesses in the region. Scality offers start-ups the opportunity to set up and operate their businesses with flexibility and convenience through a commercially effective way. It provides a subscription-based program that covers lease and licensing fees, as well as space that start-ups require for their operations.

DAFZ is now home to more than 2200 registered international and multinational businesses and small and medium enterprises, with F&B companies comprising 7% of the total number of companies in the free zone. According to the official studies and statistics issued by the free zone, DAFZ-based F&B companies witnessed an overall growth in the volume of their operations.

DAFZ has always been keen to participate in Gulfood, the world’s largest annual F&B trade exhibition, to showcase its premium services, which foster an investor-friendly environment and ensure the growth of the sector in general. The free zone aims to supporting processes that ensure the sustainability of food systems and food safety, in line with the goals and vision of the National Food Security Strategy.