WATCH: Abu Dhabi gets first plant-based meat factory

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi now has a plant-based meat alternative production facility, with the first products expected to hit store shelves from May 1.

Plant-based meats are made from vegetarian sources and are similar in taste and texture to real meat.

Foodtech startup Switch Foods, based in the Khalifa Economic Zone of Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), will be the second plant-based meat production facility in the UAE. Last month, the IFFCO Group launched the first facility of its kind in Dubai Industrial City.

The Switch Foods production center was inaugurated by Climate Change and Environment Minister Mariam AlMheiri on Wednesday.

“The food and agriculture sector faces the daunting challenge of climate change. We must ensure a healthy and reliable food supply for our people, while recognizing that the global food system is responsible for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. Plant-based meat produced It emits 30% to 90% less greenhouse gas than conventional meat and contributes to a more sustainable food supply,” Al Mheiri said in the release.

“The inauguration of the Switch Foods factory comes at an opportune time as we celebrate the Year of Sustainability and prepare to host COP28 later this year. Our track record will make a big difference to the world as we focus on solutions COP , which outlines practical actions for mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance.

“The Department of Climate Change and Environment is accelerating national efforts by identifying key areas of action, with food production being a central pillar. We are investing in a thriving ecosystem that fosters innovation through partnerships and investment in sustainable food production and growth. This project exemplifies the spirit of public-private partnership and ingenuity necessary to achieve our food security and climate action goals,” she added.

Abdullah Al Hameli, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Economic Cities and Free Zones, said: “It is a proud moment for AD Ports Group and KEZAD to add an innovative business like Switch Foods to our well-developed food ecosystem. With the support of our visionary leadership, innovation and sustainability are key components of our strategic objective to make the UAE a world leader in food security by 2051.”

He added: “Companies like Switch Foods can go a long way in supporting the goal of minimizing our dependence on food imports. KEZAD’s system to help investors maximize their output.”

The global plant-based meat market is estimated to be worth $7.9 billion (AED29 billion) by 2022 and is expected to reach $15.7 billion (AED57.6 billion) by 2027, according to industry analyst ResearchAndMarkets.com .

As such, Switch Foods aims to cater to local tastes and culinary habits by offering a variety of appetizing and sustainable plant-based meat alternatives that incorporate popular local flavors, including products such as kafta, kebab and sujouk.

“We started with science and spent a lot of time developing and collaborating with food scientists. We learned the technology and brought it here…then we partnered with chefs to develop local flavors,” Switch Foods Founder and chief executive Edward Hammond said.

According to the executive, Switch products will be “30% to 40% cheaper” than similar products on the market.

“Local production will reduce the price point tremendously. You reduce the supply chain by two thirds and we incorporate a lot of vegetables and pulses into locally produced products. For example, kafta products use locally produced tomatoes, parsley and onions . this [pea] The protein base is [however] imported,” Hammood said.

The new facility is 20,000 square feet and can produce one ton of product per hour. There is also room to scale up production based on demand, Hamod said, and the availability of tasty, affordable meat alternatives will encourage more people to incorporate them into their diets.

“We live in the largest meat consumption center in the world, consuming about 55kg per person per year, even considering that half of our consumers in the UAE are non-meat consumers. Our mission is not to convert at all, but to get people to reduce meat meat intake. The Food and Agriculture Organization recommends only 20kg of meat per person per year, so our region is about three times that. So we ask consumers to keep enjoying their favorite steaks and burgers, but To cut back, change to one meal a week, or two meals a month, [with plant-based substitutes]’ Hammond explained.