Explore the latest trends, demand drivers and growth opportunitie...
Explore the latest trends, demand drivers and growth opportunities in the Middle East, with in-depth market and data analysis from our in-country field researchers and regional experts.
All of the players in baby food have increased prices during 2023, despite the price-sensitivity of consumers. Companies have increased prices due to high inflation, rising costs of shipping and raw materials. In addition, the decreasing value of the…
Baby formula saw volume sales fall in 2022 and the category has continued to struggle in 2023, mainly due to the ongoing change in Saudi culture. Years ago, Saudis used to have many children, with an average family having around five or six children.…
Inflationary pressures have been impacting baby food, a category that was already suffering from limited growth even prior to the pandemic. Although most families have now returned to the country, the socioeconomic revival in 2022 was met with rising…
Butter in Israel had a very high customs tax of 126-140%. This made importing butter unviable for players in the category, except for specific importers allowed to import small amount without the customs tax attached. In 2019, the country started to…
The butter market was significantly impacted by the war following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The conflict led to a significant increase in prices due to the shortage of supplies and labour, and logistics challenges. All these factors…
Due to inflationary pressures arising from global supply chain issues, recent price increases in retail have impacted dairy categories, and butter and spreads is no exception. Moreover, due to rising health awareness, some consumers are also veering…
The government has removed customs taxes for certain imported cheeses, such as soft cheeses with a fat percentage over 5%. Previously, these cheeses were taxed at ILS8.04-13.21 per kg. The customs tax is mainly set to be removed in two stages. Half…
The cheese market witnessed a decline in volume sales in 2022, largely as a result of the impact of the high rate of inflation, which led to significant increases in the price of cheese products. Companies revised their pricing constantly during the…
The changes in consumer behaviour brought about by the inflationary pressures that started in early 2022 resulted in a decline in retail volume sales of cheese in 2022, while current value sales remained positive. In 2023, although a return to retail…
Increases in the prices of supervised and non-supervised dairy products in 2022 and 2023 have had a strong impact on categories. Higher prices have constrained retail volume growth potential amid high inflation and the rising cost of living in…
The dairy products market has maintained healthy growth in Saudi Arabia in current value terms, mainly due to the high rate of inflation, and it is expected that the market will register a better performance in volume terms in 2023 as prices will see…
In 2022, supply chain problems were seen, as global disruptions drove up the costs of raw materials, logistics and fuel. Overall, the United Arab Emirates and the region overall were affected in terms of rising costs and inflation. Cost-push…
In September 2022, supervised milk prices saw a strong increase in Israel. Moreover, in May 2023, the price of milk was set to rise by 16%, but, days before the intended implementation of the increase, the Minister of Finance and Minister of…
Fresh milk is seeing a revival in volume sales in 2023 following a decline in the previous year due to the high rate of inflation and the increasing cost of living, which put pressure on consumers. In 2023, however, sales are witnessing healthy…
In 2022, the price of fresh milk increased significantly, and this has continued into 2023. This growth is primarily being driven by pressures of inflation at various levels, which is being seen globally as an impact of the pandemic and other…
In September 2022, supervised milk prices, including sweet and sour cream, increased strongly. Moreover, in May 2023, the price of milk was set to rise by 16%, but days before implementation the Minister of Finance and Minister of Agriculture agreed…
The re-opening of schools has had a major impact on the recovery of many packaged food categories, with other dairy products being amongst them. The return to schools was a major factor in the recovery of chilled dairy desserts, in particular, as…
Retail volume and current value growth of condensed and evaporated milk were positive in 2022, and this is set to continue in 2023, although volume growth has been moderate, and value growth has been higher due to rising inflation. Due to the full…
The demand for plant-based and dairy-free products continues to grow in Israel in 2023. This demand started with consumers who were allergic to lactose or had other health issues whereby they could not eat dairy. However, there has also been a…
Dairy products have established an important role in the diets of many Saudi Arabian consumers. However, in line with many markets around the world, Saudi Arabia is seeing a growing interest in plant-based alternatives that is being supported…
The vast majority of consumers typically consume dairy products, but as the health and wellness trend spreads throughout the country, a niche segment of the population has shown an increasing preference for plant-based foods. Hence, plant-based…
As prices of supervised milk rise, manufacturers of dairy products increase prices for all of their products. Following the September 2022 rise in supervised milk prices, the price of milk was set to rise by 16% in May 2023. However, days before the…
The yoghurt and sour milk products category has shown healthy growth even within the tough economic situation and the slower growth of consumption as a result of the high rate of inflation. The category’s strong performance has mainly been due to its…
Although the pandemic is now a distant memory, consumers are still motivated to focus on their health and wellness. The demand for drinking yoghurt products that include a “protein” claim, in addition to advantages such as “probiotics”, and “gut…
2023 saw dairy plagued by supply chain issues and low consumer confidence. The government responded with attempts to improve the stability of the Iraqi dinar and policies to promote local production as foreign brands tend to offer basic products made…
Dairy products continues to perform well in 2023 due to the pandemic coming to an end. Likewise, the return of tourists, more women in the workforce, and the expansion of chained supermarkets and hypermarkets will continue to drive growth. However,…
In 2023, dairy consumption remains high despite the many negative factors that are currently impacting the industry, such as inflation and Kuwaitisation, which has resulted in decreased population. Nonetheless, due to the industry’s essential nature,…
Dairy has remained resilient despite Lebanon’s economic crisis, a reflection of its status as the backbone of Lebanon’s agriculture sector. In some regions, dairy production accounts for 60% of all economic activity and this has spurred international…
Increasingly hectic lifestyles and growth in the number of working mothers is boosting demand for packaged dairy and baby food which is widely available via the country’s well-developed grocery retail channels. The government’s investment in…
In 2023, Qatar's dairy industry has witnessed significant developments. Local production has soared, surpassing consumption targets, with a growing surplus of milk and other dairy products. A surge in consumer awareness of healthy alternatives,…