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.
In spite of rising costs and prices in the past two years, sales of staple foods have been growing in Middle East and Africa. The essential nature of many staples has helped maintain demand for them, even if consumers have been opting for cheaper…
In 2023, staple foods perform well due to their essential nature. There is a shift towards convenience, as consumers fully resume pre-COVID-19 habits. Bread is the main staple, with rice highly popular. There is also a move to healthier variants as…
Staple foods in Jordan has been impacted by price inflation in 2023, especially in rice. Jordan imports 90% of its rice from the US which has suffered from a drop in its rice yield, thus putting upward pressure on the price of rice. Foodservice sales…
The staple foods market was characterised by strong price rises in 2023. Following increases in the prices of dairy, all major players announced price increases in the packaged food market. The price of supervised breads increased for the second time…
Instability in Iraq’s financial sector and has led to instability in supply chains and this combined with the efforts of the Iraqi government to control the distribution of staple foods. Since early 2022, the public distribution system (PDS) has been…
The United Arab Emirates has banned the export and re-export of rice for four months starting from the end of July. However, the suspension could be automatically renewed. The suspension has been imposed on non-basmati white rice originating from…
Noodles is the smallest category within rice, pasta and noodles in retail volume terms, but it is seeing healthy growth in Saudi Arabia in 2023. These products have found appeal among busy consumers looking for a quick snack or meal option.…
In December 2022, Osem announced a price rise for many of its products, including pasta, of 5.9%. Six months later, Osem announced another price hike for its pasta, of 4.5%, that went into effect in June 2023. In May 2023, Shestowitz increased the…
The digital revolution has been rewiring retail for years, leading to new business models, commerce ecosystems and channels for reaching and engaging consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition, as e-commerce became the default…