IN Brief:
- A AED 150m, 10,000 sqm plant in KEZAD Abu Dhabi is under construction.
- The site is designed for halal-certified fruit, vegetable, meat, and fish baby foods.
- Output is planned at 90m units annually, across pouches and glass jars.
Barakat Group has started construction of a dedicated baby food manufacturing facility in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), through its joint venture with Pure Baby Food Industries. The project is described as the Gulf Cooperation Council’s first industrial-scale facility dedicated exclusively to baby food purées, with a total investment of approximately AED 150 million.
The 10,000 sqm plant is engineered for an annual production capacity of 90 million units, spanning fruit and vegetable purées alongside protein-based baby foods made from meat and fish. Output is planned in both pouch and glass jar formats, and the integrated operation is also expected to manufacture selected ambient juice products.
Halal certification is central to the facility’s design, with end-to-end halal compliance set to apply across the full baby food category, including protein-based meat and fish purées. The project is intended to address limited availability of locally produced, halal-compliant protein baby foods in the GCC, while expanding domestic manufacturing capacity for infant nutrition.
KEZAD Group — part of AD Ports Group’s economic cities and free zones cluster — said the development reflects an increase in specialist food manufacturing projects being built within Abu Dhabi’s industrial zones. Abdullah Al Hameli, CEO of Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster at AD Ports Group, said: “This investment reflects the scale and sophistication of food manufacturing projects now choosing KEZAD. The projected production capacity and employment impact underline how specialised manufacturing can deliver both economic value and strategic resilience within the food sector.”
The facility is projected to create approximately 200 direct jobs across manufacturing, quality assurance, food safety, logistics, and operational support, with additional indirect employment expected across supply chains, logistics, and agricultural sourcing. The build is also framed around international expectations on food safety, quality, and traceability, with the plant set to prioritise nutrition, freshness, and clean-label production.
Kenneth D Costa, Managing Director at Barakat Group, said: “By expanding our production footprint into premium infant nutrition, this facility reinforces Barakat Group’s mission to nourish the ambitions of the nation. Establishing dedicated capacity within KEZAD allows us to meet regional demand efficiently while creating skilled employment and maintaining the highest standards of quality and halal compliance.”
Alongside capacity and certification, the project is positioned around reducing reliance on imported baby food products and supporting a domestic, halal baby food manufacturing ecosystem in the UAE. KEZAD Group said the build aligns with national objectives on food security, local manufacturing, and value-added food production, and marks a further expansion of Abu Dhabi’s food processing footprint within the zone.
