The UAE Snacks Market Is Booming - How Tradition Meets Opportunity?
Recent research by MarkNtel Advisors reveals that the UAE snacks market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 3.6% between 2024-2029, driven by rising disposable incomes, a growing young & dynamic population, and increasing demand for convenience foods. As lifestyles become busier, demand for on-the-go snack options is increasing, especially among expatriates and working professionals.
Key Market Drivers & Trends
- Higher disposable income is enabling consumers to splurge a little on premium category snacks like chocolate confectionery. These products have held a major share in recent years.
- Convenience & ready-to-eat formats dominate. With rising participation of women in the workforce, time savings in meal or snack prepare a priority. Snacking is no longer just between meals; it's becoming a core part of daily eating routines.
- Retail expansion and tourism recovery are creating more channels for snack distribution: supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, and online retail. Dubai in particular is expected to continue leading in consumption, partly due to its busy festivals, events, and strong retail infrastructure.
Where Tradition and Local Flavours Can Shine?
Even though much of the growth is in packaged and imported snacks, there is a gap and a chance for snacks rooted in cultural taste. People still crave familiar staples: tangy chaats, street foods, sweets that bring back memories and celebrations.
- For example, lovers of best pani puri in dubai are looking for experiences that feel authentic crunchy puris, spicy, tangy fillings while also expecting hygiene, freshness, and sometimes lighter versions (less oil, cleaner ingredients).
- Similarly, the category of Indian Sweets In Dubai remains strong. From halwa to gulab jamun, there's demand not just for sweetness but for quality: authentic ingredients, good sensory experience (taste, texture, aroma), and perhaps new formats (smaller portion packs, healthier alternatives) to suit modern health concerns.
What a Modern Food Brand Can Do?
Here's where an agile snack brand can benefit:
- Innovate by offering traditional favourites (pani puri, Indian sweets) with premium touches: use better ingredients, ensure freshness, maintain hygiene, and provide packaging that appeals to modern consumers.
- Offer variety in portioning: single-serve, sharing platters, sampling sizes. This helps people indulge modestly and increases trial.
- Tap into online + retail networks: being present where consumers shop. Also leveraging festivals, events and hospitality sectors where cultural snacks are part of the offering.
- Highlight authenticity and value: stories around heritage, ingredient sourcing, flavor integrity, along with clear quality and safety practices.
The UAE snacks market is not just expanding it's evolving. Consumer expectations are shifting: from just taste and affordability to include quality, health, convenience, and cultural connection. Brands that can meet those demands especially by bringing forward familiar, beloved food like best pani puri in dubai and Indian Sweets In Dubai-stand to capture both loyalty and growth.