Sheikh Mohammed unveils Dh5.5bn Dubai Food Park at Dubai Wholesale City

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Creative Clusters Authority, has launched Dubai Food Park, the latest addition to Dubai Wholesale City, which will be developed at a cost of AED5.5 billion.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid attended a briefing by Abdulla Al Habbai, Chairman of Dubai Holding, who highlighted key features of the Park, which is positioned as an attractive environment for business operators and investors in the food sector to facilitate access to new markets and global investments.

The Park will benefit from Dubai’s world-class infrastructure in land, marine and air transport, and is set to play a vital role in supporting food security in the country.

The first-of-its-kind in the region, Dubai Food Park is located in Dubai Wholesale City, occupying around 48 million square feet. The project is in close proximity to Dubai South, only 10 minutes away from Al Maktoum International Airport and the Expo 2020 Dubai site, and a 15 minutes-drive from Jebel Ali Free Zone. The strategic location of the project adds to the attractiveness of the investment opportunities it offers.

With this project, Dubai Holding seeks to enhance Dubai’s position as a leading regional hub for food trade and re-export of foodstuffs. Given that food trade makes up 11 percent of the UAE’s GDP, and that the food industry is estimated to grow by 70 percent to AED23 billion by 2030, the park seeks to offer all categories of food-related services, including modern infrastructure and ancillary services.

The park is also set to provide a range of comprehensive government services including customs, clearance, licensing, food safety and supervision all under one roof. Providing a full suite of services will help boost the growth of food companies and reduce supply chain costs, in addition to fostering innovation and creativity across the sector.

Commenting on the launch, Abdulla Al Habbai said, “The development projects by Dubai Holding strongly support Dubai’s economic diversification and are strategically designed to help ensure Dubai is well equipped for the future. This vision requires dedication and hard work, and a careful approach to planning and execution in line with the ambitious vision of Dubai’s leadership.”

“Dubai Food Park has been established to meet the growing demand from the food sector in the UAE and the region, triggered by population growth and the development of the tourism sector. There is an increased need for specialised logistical services that ease supply chain costs, as well as for more dedicated spaces to accommodate the fast growing operations of food companies in Dubai,” he added.

Dubai Food Park includes a central wholesale market that serves the retail, hospitality and food service sector, a logistics area, an area for complementary services such as packing, repacking, and processing, and a dedicated area for handling packaged goods. It will also host employees’ accommodation, in addition to hotels, financial services, a centre for integrated government services and recycling organic waste. With these features and facilities, the park will be a world-class eco-friendly business community.