Green Queen Gulf Vol.6

Welcome to the sixth edition of Green Queen Gulf, powered by NUOS.

From the UAE fast-tracking patents to Oman’s Promising Startups Index to Qatar slashing business, the region’s leaders are committed to creating a vibrant startup ecosystem to foster innovation and support globally relevant solutions.

Lately, significant developments have highlighted the region's commitment to innovation and sustainability in agriculture. Dubai continues to lead the way with its AgriTech ecosystem, hosting events like AgriNext 2025, which showcases cutting-edge technologies in smart farming and controlled environment agriculture. Additionally, initiatives such as Food Tech Valley are driving advancements in vertical farming and waste-to-value technologies, aiming to triple the UAE's food production.

The broader GCC region is also witnessing substantial investments in agritech. Oman's Saham Agricultural City and Bahrain's partnerships with innovative farms like Badia Farms are examples of how technology is being leveraged to enhance food security and sustainability. Furthermore, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are exploring alternative protein sources and automation in agriculture, underscoring the region's diverse approach to addressing global food challenges. Onwards!

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Regional Roundup: Top Agrifood News

Each month, we'll bring you our roundup of the top news from the region, from funding to new product launches and climate initiatives. Highlights this month include new initiatives to support sustainable technologies, “wireless water” technology, and the local startups pioneering the region’s alternative protein industry.

The UAE has launched a Green Intellectual Property road map to fast-track patents in sustainability and green technology, cutting processing times to just three months. The initiative aims to attract innovators in renewable energy and other green sectors, strengthening the country’s position as a leader in sustainable innovation and boosting its global competitiveness.

Oman’s Financial Services Authority announced the launch of the Promising Startups Index at the Muscat Stock Exchange under a Royal Decree, reinforcing the government’s commitment to strengthening the investment climate. The index will attract private firms, SMEs, and startups with a market value of at least RO 0.5 million, providing financing alternatives, promoting governance standards for sustainability, and positioning Oman’s capital market as a key driver of economic growth in line with Oman Vision 2040.

Qatar Financial Centre has slashed application fees for licensing an entity on its platform from USD 5,000 to USD 500, a 90% reduction aimed at attracting businesses and startups. This move aligns with broader efforts to reverse a trend of divestments outpacing foreign direct investment inflows, with officials reviewing business regulations and drafting new laws to create a more conducive business environment.

The UAE has launched two new visas and expanded an existing one to attract top talent. The Blue Visa offers 10-year residency for individuals contributing to environmental protection, while the Content Creators Visa, part of the Golden Visa scheme, supports influencers, filmmakers, and writers under the Creators HQ project, which aims to attract 10,000 digital talents and boost the UAE’s creative economy.

In a major agribusiness expansion, Invictus Investment has acquired Merec Industries, Mozambique’s largest flour milling and food production company, as part of its strategy to reach AED 25 billion in revenue by 2028. Following its majority stake purchase in Moroccan grain trader Graderco, this acquisition is expected to boost consolidated revenues by over AED 1 billion annually, double EBITDA in 2025, and expand its footprint in Africa’s food production and trading sectors.

Meanwhile, Gulf sugar refiners are facing production cuts due to a surge of cheap sugar from India and Brazil flooding the global market. Despite the UAE being one of the world’s top sugar consumers, some Middle Eastern refineries are operating at just 30 to 40 percent capacity, highlighting the pressure on regional producers amid declining demand and global price fluctuations.

Interest in alternative proteins is growing in the UAE, with a recent study by UAE University finding that 21.4% of Emiratis are open to completely replacing animal-based proteins with alternatives made from plants, algae, fungi, or lab-cultivated meat. Another 39% would consider partially replacing animal proteins, underscoring the potential for sustainable protein options in the market.

As food security concerns rise, the Gulf region is seeing increased adoption of plant-based food, contrasting with declining demand in the West. Driven by young consumers, local startups offering affordable options, and government support for alternative proteins, the region is positioning itself as a growing market for sustainable food innovation.

In the innovation space, Abu Dhabi-based Ma Hawa showcased its "wireless water" technology at Gulfood in Dubai, using a patented system to efficiently extract drinking water from the air with just one kilowatt of energy per five liters. This breakthrough provides a sustainable solution for water-scarce regions, reducing reliance on bottled and desalinated water while addressing global water security challenges.

The 2025 list of the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants is now out, highlighting the region’s top dining destinations across 11 cities and eight countries and celebrating the “spirit and depth” of MENA’s culinary scene.

Dubai restaurant Boca, named the most sustainable eatery in the Middle East and North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list, has been championing sustainability for a decade through local sourcing, waste management, and emissions reporting. Green Queen talked to Boca’s owner, Omar Shahib, about the restaurant’s innovative practices including using renewable energy, composting organic waste, and highlighting the carbon footprint of its dishes, setting an example for the industry on how to thrive in a resource-scarce environment like the UAE.

The UAE Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale will present Pressure Cooker, an exhibition curated by Emirati architect Azza Aboualam, exploring how architecture can tackle food security in arid climates. Part of the theme Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective., it reimagines greenhouses for the Gulf’s extreme conditions using historical and modern solutions, showcasing innovative designs that integrate sustainable farming into urban life.

Denmark’s Embassy in Riyadh recently hosted a celebration of Danish gastronomy with a Saudi twist, spotlighting cheeses and other specialties while showcasing Denmark’s transformation into a world-class food nation since the New Nordic Cuisine movement began in 2004. The event aimed to strengthen Saudi-Danish food diplomacy, inspire Saudi Arabia’s evolving culinary scene, and promote Denmark’s expertise in sustainable food production.

Saudi Arabia will launch an iftar program in 61 countries during Ramadan, providing meals to over 1 million people through its embassies and religious attaches as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Iftar. This will include the distribution of 700 tonnes of dates, marking a 200-tonne increase from last year.

Gulf City Spotlight: Muscat

We’re zoning in on the Gulf’s twelve largest cities by population size, and each month we will be sharing three interesting agri-food facts about one of them. This month, we’re focusing on Muscat, the capital of Oman, home to around 1.6 million residents (as of 2022), and around 1,800 restaurants (as of 2025); that’s about one restaurant for every 880 people.

• The Omani government has been proactive in enhancing agricultural productivity. In 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources launched 15 new projects, investing approximately OMR 83 million (USD 215.6 million) to bolster the nation's food security. 

• Traditional farming in Muscat and surrounding areas relies on the ancient falaj irrigation system. This method supports a three-tiered cropping approach, cultivating date palms, fruit trees like limes and mangoes, and ground-level crops such as alfalfa, wheat, and sorghum.

• Muscat’s Agritech College offers programs focused on modern agricultural techniques and sustainable farming practices, and is instrumental in training the next generation of agrifood professionals in Oman.

Gulf Genius Bar: Nader Amiri

We’re tapping Gulf ecosystem insiders to share their favourite things in food and ag across the Gulf. Nader Amiri is a Managing Partner at Homegrown Ventures, dedicated to pioneering Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) in the MENA region. With over 30 years in Dubai, he champions the integration of local culture with modern innovation for health and sustainability. His mission is to drive CPG companies towards purpose-driven growth that resonates with the evolving consumer consciousness around food. Here, he shares three top tips on the Gulf Agrifood Ecosystem:

1. Reviving Local Ingredients for Modern Consumers:
The Gulf has a treasure trove of local ingredients like dates, for example, which can be modernized similar to how millets were transformed in Indian cuisine. By reintroducing these traditional elements into product formulations, CPG companies can appeal to health-conscious Millennials and Gen Z consumers. Our portfolio company Plaay uses dates innovatively, highlighting their health benefits in a simple way, promoting sustainable local sourcing and consumer education on nutrition. Consider how you can find and revive local ingredients in a meaningful, consumer-centric way.

2. Pioneering a Clean Label Movement Amid Health Challenges:
With the Gulf facing significant health issues such as diabetes and obesity, there’s a growing consumer demand for transparency in food. The market is saturated with products claiming health benefits but which are often ultra-processed or confusingly labelled. This trend is pushing towards a clean-label movement where CPG brands must focus on genuine health benefits, clear ingredient lists, and taste, fostering a healthier ecosystem that aligns with consumer demands for wellness. This means the relationship between CPG and Agrifood companies needs to be genuine and strengthened to deliver responsible products to consumers.

3. Balancing Sustainability with Strong Unit Economics:
While innovations like meatless products and vertical farms are crucial for sustainability, the agrifood sector must not forget the importance of unit economics. Ensuring strong, profitable gross margins over the mid-term is essential. The excitement around these innovations should be matched by a focus on creating a value chain that supports both sustainability and profitability. Without delivering meaningful consumer value and maintaining healthy value ratios, we risk creating market bubbles that could burst, undermining the long-term viability of these technologies if they don’t scale profitably with consumer demand. Analyze the value chain carefully and ensure from the setup to the end consumer the numbers deliver sufficient value to each stakeholder in the value chain, with of course a meaningful end product for consumers.

Our Pick of Events & Ecosystem Highlights

Don’t miss Food Security SummitX 2025 on May 28th-29th in Dubai. Designed to drive impactful change, the event will welcome over 1,000 attendees, 300+ companies, and 70+ expert speakers to discuss cutting-edge solutions for today’s most pressing food security challenges. Sign up here.

The 28th International Conference on Food Technology & Processing will take place on 24th-25th March in Dubai. Get more details here.

Also on 24th and 25th March, but in Kuwait, will be the International Conference on Food Science, Nutrition and Technology. Sign up here.

Don’t miss the International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural and Environmental Development in Hamad Town, Bahrain on 12th - 13th March 2025, where you will find a dynamic platform where industry professionals and academics can come together to exchange ideas and discuss the latest developments. Learn more here.