Green Queen Gulf Vol.1

Welcome to the first edition of Green Queen Gulf, powered by NUOS!

At Green Queen, we are on a mission to report on one of the most under-reported stories of our time: food systems and their role in the climate crisis.

How we produce food is changing. And it has to. Business as usual is no longer working, thanks to an ever-worsening climate crisis wreaking havoc on our agricultural supply chains, more frequent extreme weather events and a growing population hungry for animal protein. Where we produce food is going to change as well, and the Gulf region has an important role to play in this story. It may surprise some of you to know that the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are part of a three-country group that is currently the fastest-growing economic bloc in the world. This means that how they produce food matters for the global food story.

As a region, the Gulf faces a host of food security challenges including water scarcity, excessive heat and lack of arable land. That being said, this also offers unique opportunities and the region’s leaders are embracing the opportunity.

The Gulf is rapidly emerging as a hub for technological advancement, particularly in food tech, and Green Queen Gulf’s focus is on highlighting its unique role in shaping the future of food. This newsletter will spotlight cutting-edge technologies, innovative startups, and the region's potential as a global leader while offering insights into market trends and investment opportunities shaping this dynamic sector.

Onwards!

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Our Editor’s Pick of the Key Agrifood Stories This Month

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 Saudi startup Blend's successful pre-seed funding round, Oman’s agricultural city and Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans to become a major coffee producer.

Abu Dhabi launched the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance Cluster (AGWA), a global hub for novel food and ingredients, as well as water technologies. The cluster aims to achieve the objectives of the UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051 while strengthening global food and water security. Approved by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, AGWA will support food and water industry pioneers innovating across alternative protein, algae, reverse osmosis technologies, and more.

Leading alternative protein producer, NUOS, is partnering with the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance Cluster (AGWA) to open new facilities in Abu Dhabi. With this partnership, NUOS will be the largest alternative protein facility in the world with end capacity to produce up to 1 million tonnes of food annually. NUOS seeks to unlock mass consumer demand for sustainable proteins by overcoming current limitations on scale, quality, and price. Disclaimer: NUOS is Green Queen Gulf’s Content Partner.

UAE-based hydroponic farming company Pure Harvest Smart Farms is aiming to raise a minimum of $100 million as it expands its operations into Singapore, Morocco, and Kuwait.

Saudi startup Blend raised SAR 5 million (approx $1.3 million) in pre-seed funding for its tech platform which allows restaurants, cafes, and cloud kitchen operators to streamline and manage all their online orders.

NoorNation, based in Egypt, secured an undisclosed investment from KBW Ventures for its tech-enabled energy and water solutions for off-grid communities in Egypt and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud has invested in KASO, a KSA-based startup whose online B2B food supply management platform is designed to help reduce food waste.

Dubai’s She Burger unveiled two limited-edition burgers that closely resemble iconic McDonald’s offerings. The #NotDonalds debut came amid continuing boycotts of Western brands, driven by solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Hilton announced the results of its Green Ramadan Initiative in the region: a more than 20% reduction in post-consumer food waste across 32 hotels in seven countries.

Oman is set to build an agricultural city, covering an area of 65 sq km and using technologies such as hydroponics, aeroponics and fish farming to feed 25,000 people annually, as part of its ongoing $4.2 billion food security initiative.

Khalifa University of Science and Technology and agrifood giant Silal are partnering to build a centre of excellence for farming robotics in the UAE. 

Iran is partnering with the US FAO and the Green Climate Fund on a new project to strengthen its climate resilience. And Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality is soon to announce its National Food Security Strategy.

With less than 2% of its land suitable for agriculture, Saudi Arabia relies heavily on food imports, making it vulnerable to global market fluctuations and supply chain disruptions. But, the country has opened bids for coffee producers to acquire lots in an area of the southwestern Al-Baha region, which has a temperate climate good for growing coffee, as part of plans to build its first “coffee city” and longer-term aims to become a major coffee producer and exporter similar to Brazil. The new plan is part of a series of five investment projects aimed at bolstering the country’s food security.

Gulffood Green, one of the largest food industry trade shows globally, took place last week and was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council. The show welcomes tens of thousands and featured a spotlight on future food technologies with its Green Shoots Startup Pitch Competition—winner N&E Innovations Pte Ltd bagged a $50K prize. Check out this roundup of highlights by FoodTech Weekly editor Daniel Skavén Ruben.

Meituan, China’s food delivery giant, has expanded operations to the Saudi Arabian city of Al-Kharj ahead of a possible debut in Riyadh. The launch is notable given it’s the company’s first outside of Greater China; as Bloomberg writes, the Chinese leader joins “a growing fleet of businesses that see a bright future in the Gulf kingdom”.

Culinary tourism—including food tours and speciality gastro-luxe eating experiences—is having a moment across the Gulf, as the region benefits from increased tourism, a renewed interest in local cuisines and dining culture, and an influx in top chefs making it their base. Fast Company’s Courtney Brandt reports on this growing trend.

3 Fun Agrifood Facts About Dubai

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 each of them. Let’s start with the biggest - Dubai, home to approximately 13,000 restaurants for 3.6 million people, or about 1 restaurant for every 279 people. 

• In 2022, Dubai is home to the world's largest vertical farm, dubbed Emirates Bustanica. The 31,000-square-metre indoor facility at Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport, comprised of trays stacked in towers growing plants with minimal water and soil, produces more than one million kilograms of high-quality leafy greens each year.

• The ag-tech sector in Dubai is expected to nearly double by 2030, reflecting a significant investment in technologies that enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. 

• Dubai hosts the yearly Gulfood Conference, the largest annual food and beverage sourcing event in the world.

Gulf Genius Bar: Dr Dalal AlGhawas

We’re tapping Gulf ecosystem insiders to share their favourite things in food and ag across the Gulf. This month, we are talking to Dr Dalal AlGhawas, founder of SWAPAC, a Gulf-based agrifood consultancy focused on food security and bridging the commercial and cultural worlds in the GCC and Asia Pacific regions. A specialist in future food technologies, Dalal has worked with over 100 global tech startups and is an international thought leader in the food tech space. These are three of her favourite agrifood finds, stay tuned for the next three in Vol.2.

OMAN - I love that biodiesel generated from date palm kernels is powering a green bus in Oman. Unlike in Indonesia with palm oil trees, we don't have to clear tropical rainforests to plant more date palms in the Gulf. Could this be a viable solution for date palm waste and the GCC's new palm oil? Congrats to inventors Dr Lamya Adnan Al Haj, Associate Professor at the College of Science, and Dr Alia Hamid Al Muhtasib, Deputy Director of the Sustainable Energy Research Centre at Sultan Qaboos University for this awesome initiative. 

UAE - Dibba Bay Oysters! Did you know that you can now find UAE-grown oysters? I was excited to discover cultivated oysters from the calm and cool waters of Dibba Bay Fujairah. Founder Ramie Murray experimented until he found the optimum oyster species suited to the local marine environment and thanks to Murray’s work, there are now numerous oyster reef creation projects in Fujairah, endorsed by Breitling. Today, Dibba Bay Oysters sells its bivalves in premium food service outlets and grocers in the UAE.

BAHRAIN - The GCC culinary scene is on fire! Forbes Middle East recently revealed its list of leaders in luxury dining, and among the many notable mentions, I was excited to see on the list celebrated regional Bahraini Chef Roaya Saleh, founder of Villa Mamas, which serves contemporary Gulf Cuisine and has outlets in Bahrain, London, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. 

Our Pick of Events & Ecosystem Highlights

Rethink Events’ World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit is back in Dubai on 9th-10th December. Get more info here.

The Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition, hosted by Capital Events, is happening 26th-28th November. Sign up here.

Kuwait International Agro Food Expo, on 15th-16th December, is the only specialised international exhibition for the food and agri sector in the country. Find out more here.

Abu Dhabi is set to host the Global Food Security Summit for the first time at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre on 26th and 27th November. Learn more here.

The Rosewood Innovation Series, powered by the Rosewood Hotel Group and Brinc, will showcase eight selected early-stage FoodTech and AgriTech entrepreneurs’ innovative solutions at a virtual pitch day in October. Want to take part? Apply here.