The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as one of the top 10 export destinations for Egyptian processed food products, with exports valued at $196m in 2024, reflecting the growing presence and competitiveness of Egyptian food manufacturers in Gulf markets, according to the Food Export Council of Egypt.
The announcement was made during an online seminar organised by the council titled Safe Passage to Gulfood Dubai 2026, held in cooperation with UAE-based conformity assessment firm Gulf Tech.
The seminar highlighted the critical role played by compliance and conformity assessment bodies in facilitating Egyptian exports to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets, ahead of Gulfood 2026, one of the world’s largest and most influential food trade exhibitions.
The council described Gulfood as a long-standing success story for Egyptian exporters, noting that more than 170 Egyptian companies are expected to participate in the 2026 edition for the first time, across two exhibition venues in Dubai. The event offers Egyptian exporters direct access not only to the UAE and GCC markets, but also to buyers from East Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
During a presentation at the seminar, the Food Export Council revealed that Egypt’s processed food exports reached $6.3bn between January and November 2025, exceeding total exports recorded in 2024 by more than $200m. Exports are expected to surpass $6.8bn once December figures are finalised, representing annual growth of around 12–13%.
Focusing on the UAE market, the council said Egyptian processed food exports to the Emirates totalled $196m in 2024, posting annual growth of 11%. A total of 29 Egyptian companies recorded exports exceeding $1m each, together accounting for nearly $132m, or 68% of total exports to the UAE.
Between January and November 2025, exports to the UAE rose to more than $215m, surpassing the full-year total for 2024 and placing the UAE ninth among Egypt’s largest importers of processed food products.
In 2024, frozen potatoes led Egyptian exports to the UAE with a value of $30m, followed by concentrates used in carbonated beverages at $29m, chocolate products at $21m, and a range of prepared food items. In 2025, export rankings shifted, with beverage concentrates topping the list at $36m, followed by chocolate and frozen potatoes, each at around $31m.
Speaking at the seminar, Mahmoud Walid, Head of the Food and Halal Division at Gulf Tech, said that while Egyptian products are competitive in terms of price and quality, many exporters continue to face challenges related to regulatory compliance after securing buyers.
He noted that shipments may be delayed or rejected at GCC ports due to missing or outdated documentation, non-compliant labelling, or unrecognised certificates. Walid stressed that conformity assessment, halal certification and pre-shipment inspections are essential to ensure smooth customs clearance and protect exporters from costly delays or rejections.
“Compliance must begin before production and before shipment,” he said, explaining that labelling, additives, shelf-life information and factory approvals are often decisive during border inspections.
Walid added that Gulf Tech aims to act as a strategic partner for Egyptian exporters by helping them meet GCC regulatory requirements, reduce risks and enhance their competitiveness in regional and global markets.
