MEA Plant-based Meat and Dairy Products - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The MEA Plant-based Meat and Dairy Products Market size is estimated at USD 302.26 million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 412.96 million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 6.44% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The growing concerns among the people of the Middle East about the consumption of conventional animal-based food and beverage products and the adoption of vegan diets in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic due to rising health awareness were expected to drive the plant-based growth of meat and dairy products in the region. The shift in consumer behavior was majorly due to the rising concerns regarding animal welfare, personal health, and sustainability. Therefore, various food and beverage companies were launching plant-based or vegan meat and dairy products in the Middle East and African markets.

The rising consumer awareness regarding the negative impact of the consumption of meat on health is leading to a shift toward a vegan diet. Additionally, the benefits of cholesterol-free protein, with a meat-like texture, are one of those key factors promoting the growth of plant-based meat and dairy products in the region studied. According to the data of the World Obesity Organization in April 2022, 25% of men and 30% of women are obese, and 16.4% of adults have diabetes in the United Arab Emirates. Therefore, the market players in the region are launching various plant-based meat and dairy products.

Middle East & Africa Plant-based Meat Market Trends

Increasing Health Concerns Are Supporting the Market's Growth

• These days, meat and milk substitutes or vegan products are becoming more popular in the region due to their health benefits. They exist together with meat and milk products in the market, which allows consumers to compare and thus increase their awareness about the benefits of plant-based products. Though plant-based meats still contain saturated fat, they have far less saturated fat than animal meat.
• Plant-based meats also contain some fiber and plenty of protein. Additionally, increasing health concerns like obesity and diabetes drive consumers toward plant-based diets, allowing them to control and maintain their health as plant-based products contain far less saturated fat. For instance, according to data from the World Bank, in 2021, almost 18.7% of the Saudi Arabian population had diabetes.
• Similarly, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in 2021, the diabetes prevalence in South Africa reached 11.3%, the highest in Africa. It also claimed that the country would register an estimated 96,000 deaths due to diabetes in 2021, while the cost of diabetes-related health expenditure has risen to 1,700 USD per person, totaling an estimated 7.2 billion USD.
• Moreover, consumers in the region appreciate these meat substitute products due to animal welfare, environmental and health-related reasons, functional efficacy, and high sustainability claims offered by plant-derived products supporting the plant-based meat and dairy market in the Middle East and Africa. Dairy alternatives hold a broad scope for product development, pulling the significant attention of manufacturers to contribute to the market. As a result, food companies are expanding their productions and increasingly investing in catering to the appeal of novel flavors and taste profiles.
• For instance, in October 2022, the Silicon Valley-based food tech firm Change Foods announced an agreement with Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi to build an animal-free dairy plant in the United Arab Emirates. Such developments happening in the region are expected to further boost the market's growth during the forecast period.

United Arab Emirates is the Fastest Growing Market

• Consumers in the United Arab Emirates consider the adoption of veganism in the country as they are keen on a cleaner lifestyle, healthy habits, and animal rights, fueling the growth in the meat substitute market in the country due to the clinically proven health benefits of a vegan diet.
• Additionally, most shops and restaurants offer different vegan and vegetarian products in the United Arab Emirates, making people try those products and eventually aiding them to shift from meat to plant-based foods.
• Tourism in the country from other parts of the world also contributes to the growth of the country's meat substitute market. The growing demand for vegan protein-based products resulted in the incorporation of more new startup plant-based food companies and the expansion of existing companies in the country.
• For instance, in January 2021, VBites, the United Kingdom-based vegan food brand, expanded into the Middle East with new listings announced in the United Arab Emirates. The company launched nine items from its 51-strong plant-based products portfolio in 90 stores, Spinney's outlets throughout the United Arab Emirates, and Waitrose shops in Dubai. Similarly, Kind Lyfe, a new vegan snack startup launched in November 2021 in the United Arab Emirates, is gaining popularity all over the region through its sales in supermarkets and online retail channels.
• Moreover, the increasing urban population in the country is further propelling the market as it makes the availability of plant-based products easier, and consumers are also provided with innovative flavors and are always well-informed about the latest products.
• For instance, according to the World Bank, in 2021, the annual urban population growth in the United Arab Emirates was 1.12% which increased from 1.09% when compared to 2019. Such factors are aiding the market in the United Arab Emirates to grow faster.

Middle East & Africa Plant-based Meat Industry Overview

The growth of plant-based foods in the Middle East and Africa is highly dependent on how consumers perceive such foods. In most cases, brands working in this segment must involve apt marketing and advertising practices to instigate younger consumers since they rely heavily on social media platforms and are avid 'out-of-home' consumers. Some of the major companies which are operating in the market studied are Danone SA, Beyond Meat Inc., Al Islami Foods, Blue Diamond Growers, and Saudi Dairy and Food Stuff Company.

These companies have been the front runners in terms of expansion of their production capacity and product launches to cater to the increasing demand for plant-based meat and dairy products in the region. In addition to innovations, the companies have also been engaged in strategic investments, especially in the online sector (after the wake of COVID-19), to hold their prominent position in the market.

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