THE UAE’S PREMIER INTEGRATED AGRI-FOOD GROUP
THE UAE’S PREMIER INTEGRATED AGRI-FOOD GROUP
As one of the United Arab Emirates’ leading and most diversified integrated agri-food groups, Emirates Rawabi proudly unites dairy, poultry, juice, and feed production under one national banner. Mazen Al Refae, Group CEO, tells us more about the company’s newest innovations Writer: Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Presley Smith
Shaping the future of food means building an organisation capable of supporting the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) long-term food security whilst remaining commercially competitive, innovative, sustainable, and scalable. Food security is not achieved through one project or by maintaining strategic stock alone. It requires a productive local ecosystem covering feed, breeding, farming, processing, technology, logistics, talent, and strong consumer brands.” This statement, as postulated 2 | EME Outlook Issue 73
by Mazen Al Refae, Group CEO of Emirates Rawabi, reflects the company’s philosophy when it comes to providing high-quality, reliable, and sustainable food and beverage products across the UAE. Headquartered in Dubai, the group has deep roots in the nation’s food and agricultural sector. It was established through the combination of Al Rawabi Dairy and Emirates National Food, with Green Fields for Feed Industries (Green Fields) subsequently joining the portfolio. Today, Emirates Rawabi operates
EMIRATES RAWABI FOOD & BEVERAGE
and consumer brand development. This integration gives us greater control over quality, traceability, product availability, and operational resilience,” informs Al Refae. Emirates Rawabi’s ambition is to position itself as a leading integrated food-security and agribusiness platform in the region. The company is strengthening its established businesses whilst exploring growth across complementary verticals where it can create a genuine competitive advantage and contribute to the UAE’s long-term food-security objectives. “Our mission is clear: to nourish the nation whilst shaping the future of food. This means producing safe, nutritious, and accessible food today whilst investing in the infrastructure, technology, talent, and innovation the country will require tomorrow,” Al Refae explains.
NOURISHING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
across an integrated farm-to-fork value chain. Its principal businesses include Al Rawabi, one of the UAE’s most recognised dairy and juice brands; Al Rawdah, a leading producer of fresh and value-added poultry products; Green Fields, which manufactures animal feed; and Al Salwa Breeders farm, which supports poultry breeding operations. “Our capabilities extend from animal feed, breeding, farming, and hatcheries to dairy and poultry production, food processing, quality assurance, logistics, distribution,
remain resilient through economic cycles and market disruptions.” For Al Refae, the food and beverage industry has particular significance because it touches every household and contributes directly to the resilience and strength of the national economy. In the UAE, developing local food production also carries a strategic responsibility, supporting food security, creating employment, developing national capabilities, strengthening local supply chains, and reducing exposure to global disruption. That mix of commercial opportunity, operational complexity, and national purpose has kept him passionate about the industry. Today, as Group CEO, Al Refae’s responsibility is to lead the group through its next stage of transformation and build a stronger, more resilient, and future-ready agrifood organisation that meaningfully contributes to the continued growth of the UAE economy.
Having spent more than 24 years working across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food manufacturing, dairy, poultry, animal feed, agriculture, logistics, and distribution, Al Refae’s career has been driven by growth and transformation. Over the course of his career, he has led businesses through growth, transformation, restructuring, operational challenges, and changing market conditions. “I have always been attracted to environments where meaningful change is required,” he elaborates. “Growth is not simply about increasing revenue or capacity; it is about building stronger organisations, improving productivity, developing people, strengthening brands, and ensuring the business can EME Outlook Issue 73 | 3
EMIRATES RAWABI FOOD & BEVERAGE
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT EMIRATES RAWABI’S DECISION TO UTILISE BIOGAS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY? Mazen Al Refae, Group CEO: “We are a pioneer in agricultural sustainability and operate the only biogas facility on a dairy farm in the UAE. This reflects our belief that responsible food production must address not only what we produce, but also how we manage energy, water, waste, and natural resources. “Our biogas operation converts organic farm waste into renewable energy. Instead of treating this material as waste, we use it as a productive resource. This reduces dependence on conventional energy, lowers our environmental impact, and supports a more efficient, circular operating model. “The remaining organic material can also be treated and reused for applications such as composting and soil improvement. Creating a circular economy is both an environmental responsibility and a commercial necessity. Resources such as water, energy, and agricultural inputs are valuable and increasingly constrained. Using them more efficiently reduces waste, improves resilience, and protects the business against future cost and supply pressures. “Sustainability should not sit separately from the business. It must be embedded within daily operations, capital investment, procurement, production, and long-term planning. That is the approach we are taking.”
4 | EME Outlook Issue 73
Emirates Rawabi is working towards this goal by expanding local production capacity, modernising its farms and factories, strengthening biosecurity and quality systems, improving water and energy efficiency, and developing healthier, more convenient products. It is also building a digitally connected organisation that can use reliable data to improve planning, productivity, traceability, and decision-making. In parallel, the company is looking beyond traditional categories, using its strength to pursue growth across carefully selected adjacent verticals where there are clear consumer needs and strategic benefits for the nation. “Our ambition extends beyond the UAE, but the country will always remain our foundation. We want
to build a scalable agri-food model that can support selective regional and international expansion whilst demonstrating the quality, innovation, and capability of UAE food production,” Al Refae explains.
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF FOOD
For Emirates Rawabi, its greatest differentiator is the depth of the company’s integration. “We are not simply a dairy company, poultry producer, or animal feed manufacturer. We bring these capabilities together within one group, covering much of the value chain from feed and breeding through to farming, production, processing, distribution, and the finished consumer product,” Al Refae explains”.
“Growth is not simply about increasing revenue or capacity; it is about building stronger organisations, improving productivity, developing people, strengthening brands, and ensuring the business can remain resilient through economic cycles and market disruptions” – M A Z E N A L R E FA E , G R O U P C E O , E M I R AT E S R AWA B I
“This gives us greater visibility and control over quality, traceability, supply continuity, and operational performance. It also strengthens our ability to respond when markets, input costs, or global supply chains become disrupted.” Another important distinguisher is Emirates Rawabi’s local understanding, which enables it to combine international developments in nutrition, technology, and convenience with products that remain relevant to local lifestyles and cultural preferences. Additionally, the company operates with a wider sense of responsibility, with the balance between commercial discipline and national purpose central to its mission. Emirates Rawabi’s unique abilities are further highlighted by the recent initiatives it is engaging in. Specifically, its new dairy farm in Abu Dhabi is one of the group’s most strategically important investments. It expands
local milk production, strengthens operational resilience, and provides a scalable platform for future growth. “The farm has been developed with a focus on modern animal housing, environmental controls, efficient feeding and milking systems, strong biosecurity, animal welfare, and responsible resource use,” Al Refae adds. In addition to this new farm, Emirates Rawabi is developing its existing poultry farms, strengthening both broiler and breeder operations. Its newer broiler farms are improving production capacity, supply consistency, and resilience, whilst the expansion of its breeder operations is intended to increase the local availability of hatching eggs and reduce dependence on external sources. Once fully operational, the breeder expansion is expected to add approximately 15 million hatching eggs annually.
Ultimately, these initiatives contribute to the organisation’s investment in future-ready capabilities, long-term infrastructure, and scalable agribusiness excellence. “A major element of this transformation is the implementation of SAP S/4HANA as the group’s integrated digital backbone. This will provide a single digital backbone connecting planning, procurement, EME Outlook Issue 73 | 5
EMIRATES RAWABI FOOD & BEVERAGE
CAN YOU EXPAND UPON EMIRATES RAWABI’S SHOWCASE AT GULFOOD 2026? Mazen Al Refae, Group CEO: “Gulfood 2026 was an important opportunity to demonstrate how we are evolving from a traditional food producer into a more innovation-led and consumer-focused agri-food group. “Our showcase centred on the intersection of wellness, functionality, taste, and regional relevance. Amongst the innovations presented were Date Milk made with real dates, highprotein Greek yoghurt, kefir, lactosefree options, and our Greek yoghurt ice cream concept. “Our approach is therefore not to follow wellness trends superficially. We want to create products that address genuine consumer needs and can realistically become part of people’s daily lives. “A nutritionally strong product will only succeed if consumers enjoy it, trust it, and can easily access it. Date Milk is a particularly good example of our direction. It brings together the nutritional appeal of dairy with an ingredient deeply connected to the UAE’s heritage and identity. “Gulfood 2026 also allowed us to engage directly with customers, distributors, foodservice operators, suppliers, and potential international partners. It reinforced our belief that UAE-developed food innovation has significant regional and international potential.”
6 | EME Outlook Issue 73
production, quality inspection, maintenance, sales, logistics, finance, and human resources,” continues Al Refae. In practical terms, this means better demand forecasting, stronger production planning, improved inventory visibility, more disciplined procurement, faster access to reliable information, and clearer performance accountability. It will also provide the foundation for advanced analytics, automation, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI).
SCALABLE AGRIBUSINESS EXCELLENCE
As Emirates Rawabi looks towards the future, its first priority is operational excellence. Growth must be supported by reliable production, strong quality, healthy
animals, disciplined costs, improved service levels, and consistent product availability. Secondly, the organisation is working to continue expanding local production capability, including ramping up the new Abu Dhabi dairy farm, progressing the poultry breeder expansion, improving broiler performance, and strengthening integration between feed, farming, and food-production businesses. Additionally, Emirates Rawabi will continue its digital transformation, alongside accelerating consumer innovation and advancing brand and packaging transformation. The company also intends to expand through new channels, stronger e-commerce and foodservice capabilities, a more effective regional presence, and carefully selected
EMIRATES RAWABI FOOD & BEVERAGE
Premium Eggs | Hatched For Excellence. Reliable Supply
Best Quality
On-time Delivery
Customer Satisfaction
HATCHED FOR EXCELLENCE
Aviatech is solidifying its position as one of the leading players in the UAE sector, demonstrating strong competitive capability in premium hatching eggs and high-quality fresh table eggs. The company delivers consistent excellence supported by robust partnerships with major regional poultry and egg producers. With dependable supply, superior egg specifications, and dedicated technical support, Aviatech stands out as a preferred choice for customers seeking reliable, high-performance hatching eggs across the United Arab Emirates.
“Our mission is clear: to nourish the nation whilst shaping the future of food. This means producing safe, nutritious, and accessible food today whilst investing in the infrastructure, technology, talent, and innovation the country will require tomorrow” – M A Z E N A L R E FA E , G R O U P C E O , E M I R AT E S R AWA B I
export opportunities. This is in parallel to its commitment to ensuring sustainability will remain embedded in investment decisions. “Our ambition is to build Emirates Rawabi into one of the region’s most respected integrated food and agribusiness groups, recognised
Bin Shabib Mall – B3 Floor 4, Office 422, Al Qusais Industrial First, Dubai www.aviatech-mena.com info@aviatech-mena.com +971 52 449 4472 +966 59 840 5133 +971 50 990 3564 +966 50 077 4764
for its performance, innovation, sustainability, and contribution to food security,” Al Refae emphasises. “The most important point is that food security is ultimately built through people.” Infrastructure, technology, and capital are essential for successful companies, but they only create value when supported by capable teams, strong governance, and a culture of accountability. Emirates Rawabi’s progress is the result of people working across farms, factories, laboratories, warehouses, distribution routes, commercial teams, and corporate functions on a daily basis. Since the UAE’s government has created an environment that encourages investment, innovation, advanced agriculture, local manufacturing, and longterm thinking, Emirates Rawabi’s responsibility as a national food group is to convert that opportunity into stronger local capability and
measurable economic value. “Emirates Rawabi is proud of its heritage, but we are equally focused on what comes next. We are building an organisation capable of feeding a growing population, adapting to changing consumer expectations, and representing the quality of UAE food production in regional and international markets,” Al Refae concludes. “In simple terms, we are born in Dubai and made for the UAE. We nourish the nation whilst helping shape its future.”
Tel: +971 4 704 3000 info@emiratesrawabi.ae
www.emiratesrawabi.ae EME Outlook Issue 73 | 7
Tel: +971 4 704 3000 info@emiratesrawabi.ae www.emiratesrawabi.ae
PRODUCED BY EME OUTLOOK MAGAZINE