Dubai, UAE — December 2025 — The Arab Investment & Export Credit Guarantee Corporation announced that the Arab region’s food and beverage sector attracted 516 foreign direct investment projects between January 2003 and December 2024.
These projects represented a capital expenditure of $22 billion and created approximately 93,000 jobs, as reported by the Emirates News Agency.
According to Dhaman’s third sectoral report for 2025, issued from its Kuwait headquarters, investment was heavily concentrated in five Arab nations: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco, and Qatar.
Together, these countries attracted 421 projects, or 82 percent of the total, with over $17 billion in capital and 71,000 jobs.
The United States was the leading foreign investor over the 22-year period, financing 74 projects valued at roughly $4 billion, which generated more than 14,000 jobs.
Overall, the top ten foreign investors accounted for 15 percent of projects, 32 percent of capital, and 29 percent of jobs. Nestlé of Switzerland led in project numbers, while Ukraine’s NIBULON ranked first in capital invested and jobs created.
The report also highlighted substantial intra-Arab investment, with 12 Arab countries funding 108 projects. The UAE was the dominant intra-regional investor, responsible for 45 percent of projects and 58 percent of the $6.5 billion capital dedicated to these ventures.
An assessment of business and investment risks in 14 Arab countries, based on Fitch Ratings indicators, ranked the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar as the most attractive destinations for sector investment in 2024.
Looking forward, Dhaman forecasts that food and non-alcoholic beverage sales in 16 Arab countries will grow by 8.6 percent to exceed $430 billion by the end of 2025, constituting 4.2 percent of the global market.
Sales are projected to surpass $560 billion by 2029. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, the UAE, and Iraq are expected to account for about 77 percent of regional sales. Meat and poultry will remain the largest product category.
Per capita annual spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages in the region is anticipated to rise to over $1,845 in 2025, nearing the global average, with food expenditure representing a larger share of household budgets in Arab countries than the world average.
The report noted that the Arab region’s external trade in food and beverages expanded by over 15 percent to approximately $195 billion in 2024.
Brazil was the leading external supplier, while Saudi Arabia was the top destination for exports from within the Arab region.
