.png)
UAE's THRYVE Breaks New Ground with First 100% Plant-Based Meat Factory in the Middle East
The Story of Dubai and the UAE to become a sustainable and green hub for the world
Dubai, the world’s fastest growing city, is now leading the way in plant-based meat manufacturing with the opening of the first 100% plant-based meat substitute factory in the Middle East. Thryve, owned by the IFFCO Group, is set to provide nourishing and sustainable meat products inspired by the unique flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine. The factory will contribute to the move towards a more sustainable and healthy food chain in the Middle East, actively supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE’s Vision 2051 initiative to bolster food security through diversity and innovation.
Thryve’s factory, developed using cutting-edge food technology, is set to contribute to at least three of the UN’s sustainable development goals, namely good health and well-being, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. The plant-based meat market is tipped to grow to $15.7bn by 2027 as consumers consider ethical, environmental and food security reasons to change their diet.
Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, noted that the new 100% plant-based meat factory supports the UAE’s Food Security Strategy and our mandate to mitigate the impact of climate change. Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation at Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, added that the opening of the factory is a reflection of the UAE’s commitment to pioneer the use of innovative technologies to provide sustainable solutions to real-world problems.
The Thryve plant-based venture is contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals through a combination of good health and well-being, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. The global plant-based meat market was estimated to be worth $7.9bn in 2022, and is forecast to reach $15.7bn by 2027, according to a report from ResearchAndMarkets.com.
The newly opened Thryve factory will cater to 30% of the GCC population, stimulating the development of the market for local plant-based products. As per proprietary research, the GCC has the potential to leverage its rich food heritage and resources to create an extensive range of high-quality plant-based meat products that can meet the diverse needs of consumers in the region.
Thryve, which is owned by the IFFCO Group, is one of the largest producers of food products in the UAE. The factory will provide nourishing, sustainable, and healthy local plant-based meat products inspired by the unique flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine. The IFFCO Group has opened the factory in the Dubai Industrial City, and it will catalyze the move towards a more sustainable and healthy food chain in the Middle East, actively supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE’s Vision 2051 initiative to bolster food security through diversity and innovation.
Shiraz Allana, IFFCO Supervisory Board Member, noted that IFFCO has been an innovator in its various fields of operations since its inception, and is ideally placed to drive a paradigm shift in consumers’ habits that reflect their ever-changing demands for healthy and nutritious ways of broadening their dietary options. He added that Thryve is leveraging advanced food technologies to produce tasty, healthy, sustainable, and culturally relevant food that meets the needs of the local consumer.
In addition, IFFCO is working closely with the government to create regulatory standards for plant-based food products. The newly opened Thryve factory will cater to 30% of the GCC population, stimulating the development of the market for local plant-based products. The GCC has the potential to leverage its rich food heritage and resources to create an extensive range of high-quality plant-based meat products that can meet the diverse needs of consumers in the region.
Let us know if you would like to visit Dubai's new #plantbased eatery in a comment below!