Table of Contents
Topic Summary
Understand What This Licence Actually Covers
Activity 4721.03 covers the retail sale of fresh, chilled, frozen, and processed meat and poultry to end consumers from a fixed specialised store. It does not extend to slaughtering animals, manufacturing processed meat products, or supplying other businesses wholesale.
Know the Market You Are Entering
Meat is consistently the highest-value fresh food category in UAE retail, and the UAE exported roughly USD 6.07 billion of meat and edible offal in 2024. This signals a commercially mature, high-demand environment with strong trade infrastructure already in place.
Secure Dubai Municipality Food Safety Approval First
A specialised meat retailer must obtain Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department approval before the trade licence is issued. This is a non-negotiable prerequisite that applies to every operator in the category.
All Meat Must Carry Halal Certification
Every meat and poultry product sold must be Halal certified by a Dubai Municipality approved body. This requirement applies across your entire range, from fresh cuts to processed deli lines, and gives consumers a consistent standard to rely on.
Build Your Store Around Cold Chain Infrastructure
Chilled display units and adequate cold storage are central to operating a compliant and competitive meat retail format. Frozen cuts, fresh beef, lamb, mutton, and poultry all require proper temperature control throughout the supply and retail chain.
Broaden Revenue With Processed and Deli Lines
Alongside fresh cuts, this licence permits the retail of sausages, bacon, ham, cold cuts, and pre-packed deli meats. Adding these processed lines widens store appeal and supports stronger margins through product range depth.
Explore Related Licences for a Wider Business Scope
Meydan Free Zone also supports related activities including Fresh Meat Products Trading, Meat Shop and Butcher Business, and Food and Beverages Trading. If your business model extends beyond pure retail, one of these complementary licences may better fit your operation.
How to Start a Retail Sale of Meat and Meat Products (Including Poultry) Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Retail sale of meat and meat products covers the sale of meat, poultry, and processed meat items to consumers from a specialised store.
Unlike a market stall, this is a fixed retail format, typically a butcher shop or meat section built around chilled display, cold storage, and a broader product range that can include processed and deli lines alongside fresh cuts. It is a staple category with steady, non-cyclical demand.
The commercial base is strong. Meat has consistently ranked as the highest-value fresh food category in UAE retail, ahead of every other fresh food segment.[2]
The country's meat trade infrastructure is extensive, reflected in roughly USD 6.07 billion of meat and edible offal exports in 2024, including USD 385.8 million of frozen bovine meat to a single partner market.[1]
Food safety regulation underpins the category. A specialised meat retailer must obtain Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department approval before the licence is issued, and all meat and poultry must be Halal certified by an approved body.[3]
These requirements give consumers confidence and set a consistent standard across the market.
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A Meat Trade Exporting Billions and Anchoring Fresh Food Retail
A Dubai-licensed meat business operates in a market where the UAE exported roughly USD 6.07 billion of meat and edible offal in 2024, including USD 385.8 million of frozen bovine meat to a single trading partner, and where meat has consistently ranked as the highest-value fresh food category in UAE retail.
Sources: UN COMTRADE / Trading Economics (2024), Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Meydan Free Zone, Fresh Meat Products Trading
Who Is This Activity For?
| Category | Business Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SPECIALIST RETAIL | Butcher Shops & Meat Retailers | Retailers running a fixed specialised meat shop with chilled display and cold storage, selling fresh and processed meat and poultry to consumers. Range, presentation, and reliable cold chain define the offer. |
| PROCESSED & DELI | Processed Meat & Deli Retailers | Stores building a broader range of sausages, cold cuts, and deli lines alongside fresh meat. Their value sits in product breadth and consistent supplier relationships across categories. |
4721.03 - Retail Sale of Meat and Meat Products (Including Poultry)
Activity 4721.03 sits within the broader class covering the retail sale of food in specialised stores. Within that class, this activity is the retail sale of meat and meat products, including poultry, to final consumers.
It covers fresh, chilled, and frozen meat and poultry, and processed meat products such as sausages, bacon, ham, and deli lines, sold from a specialised store.
The activity concerns retail sale in its existing form. It does not extend to slaughtering animals, manufacturing processed meat products, or wholesale supply to other businesses.
Beyond this activity, Meydan Free Zone also supports related licences such as Fresh Meat Products Trading, Meat Shop & Butcher Business, and Food and Beverages Trading.
The retail range covers:
- Fresh, chilled, and frozen beef, lamb, and mutton
- Fresh and frozen poultry and chicken
- Processed meats including sausages, bacon, and ham
- Deli lines and cold cuts
- Chilled display and cold storage retailing
- Halal-certified meat and poultry from approved sources
- Packaged and counter-service meat retail
Service Scope
Fresh & Chilled Meat
Beef, lamb, mutton, and poultry sold chilled from specialised display, the core range of a dedicated meat retailer.
Frozen Meat & Poultry
Frozen cuts and portions offering longer shelf life and broader sourcing, held under proper cold chain conditions.
Processed Meat Products
Sausages, bacon, ham, and similar processed lines bought in and retailed alongside fresh meat.
Deli & Cold Cut Ranges
Sliced cold cuts and deli meats sold by weight or pre-packed, broadening the store's appeal beyond raw cuts.
Halal-Certified Retail Ranges
Meat and poultry certified Halal by Dubai Municipality approved bodies across the full retail range.
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WHAT THIS ACTIVITY EXCLUDES
It is important to note what activity 4721.03 does not cover. Slaughtering animals and abattoir operation is a separate regulated activity, as is the manufacture of processed meat products such as sausages and cured meats.
Wholesale supply of meat to other businesses sits within its own wholesale classification, and selling meat from a stall or market rather than a specialised store falls under stalls and markets retail. Preparing cooked meat for immediate consumption is a food service activity in its own right.
In short: if you are selling fresh, frozen, and processed meat to consumers from a specialised store, you are in. If you are slaughtering animals, manufacturing processed meat, supplying businesses wholesale, or selling from a market stall, you are not.
Licensing & Compliance
Third-Party Approval:
You need approval from the Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department before your business license is issued. All meat and poultry products must also carry Halal certification from a certification body approved by Dubai Municipality.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance:
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirement.
References
[1] UN COMTRADE database, cited in Trading Economics. UAE meat and edible meat offal export data, 2024. tradingeconomics.com
[2] Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, cited in Statista. Retail sales value of fresh food in the UAE by category. statista.com
[3] Meydan Free Zone. Fresh Meat Products Trading activity guidance. meydanfz.ae
