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How to Start an Ice-Cream Shop Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
The UAE is the largest frozen dessert market in the Middle East and Africa, and its ice cream sector has a structural advantage that no amount of marketing can replicate: the climate. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C across the emirates, sustaining demand for ice cream year-round and making it one of the most climate-resilient segments in the food service sector. The UAE ice cream market was valued at between USD 306 million and USD 379 million in 2024, depending on scope, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% to reach up to USD 538 million by 2032–33, according to Credence Research and IMARC Group¹. Impulse ice cream, single-serve, immediate-consumption formats, accounts for more than 60% of market share, confirming the scoop shop, soft-serve counter, and kiosk as the dominant commercial models.
Dubai has become a genuinely competitive and internationally significant artisan ice cream destination. Amorino (Paris) serves rose-shaped gelato cones from multiple Dubai locations. Morelli’s Gelato, family-run since the early 1900s and described by critics as the ‘Rolls-Royce of ice cream,’ operates in Dubai Mall, JBR, and Bluewaters. Gelato Divino offers more than 100 flavours including saffron and lemongrass, reflecting the multicultural taste profile of Dubai’s consumer base. Scoopi Cafe’s Black Diamond, served in a Versace bowl at AED 2,999, represents one end of the market’s range; a two-scoop cone at AED 25 represents the other. In October 2024, Scoopi opened its third UAE location in Abu Dhabi, continuing the sector’s expansion beyond Dubai.
Activity code 5610.98 specifically covers the Ice-Cream Shop as a licensed food service operation, distinct from the broader parent code 5610.00 (Restaurants and Mobile Food Service Activities) while sharing the same DM post-approval compliance structure. Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department approval must be obtained after the Meydan Free Zone licence is issued, before opening for service.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Artisan gelato and scoop shop operators | Operators of artisan ice cream and gelato shops providing premium, freshly prepared single-serve ice cream in scoop, cone, cup, or waffle formats, including Italian gelateria concepts, experimental flavour labs, premium sundae bars, and specialty frozen dessert cafes. |
| Soft-serve and quick-service ice cream counter operators | Operators of soft-serve ice cream counters, quick-service dessert kiosks, ice cream parlour chains, and frozen yogurt concepts providing fast-format single-serve ice cream to customers from a service counter, including mall kiosk and food court ice cream operations. |
| Ice cream delivery and mobile vendor operators | Operators of ice cream delivery businesses, temperature-controlled delivery kitchen operations serving aggregator platforms, and mobile ice cream vendors including ice cream trucks, carts, and market stall operations providing ice cream for immediate consumption. |
5610.98 - Ice-Cream Shop
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Artisan gelato and premium scoop shops | Artisan ice cream shop and gelato bar operations Operation of an artisan ice cream shop or gelateria providing premium, freshly prepared ice cream in scoop, cone, cup, or waffle formats, including Italian gelato concepts, experimental flavour and topping formats, specialty sundae menus, and frozen dessert cafe experiences. |
| Soft-serve, quick-service and frozen yogurt | Soft-serve ice cream counter and quick-service dessert kiosk operations Operation of a soft-serve ice cream counter, quick-service dessert kiosk, ice cream parlour chain outlet, or frozen yogurt concept providing fast-format single-serve ice cream in dip, cone, or cup formats from a service counter, including mall kiosks and food court ice cream formats. |
| Ice cream delivery and mobile vendors | Ice cream delivery kitchen and mobile vendor operations Operation of an ice cream delivery business or temperature-controlled delivery kitchen operation serving aggregator platforms, or a mobile ice cream vendor including ice cream trucks, carts, and market stall operations providing ice cream for immediate consumption. |
Code 5610.98 covers ice cream and frozen dessert shops and mobile operations providing ice cream for immediate consumption. It does not cover the retail sale of packaged ice cream for home consumption through supermarkets or grocery stores (ISIC 4711–47); the manufacture and wholesale of ice cream products (ISIC 1050); or the concession operation of ice cream kiosks within third-party venues under a separate concession structure. It also does not cover broader restaurant and food service operations beyond ice cream and frozen desserts as the primary product (5610.00) or floating ice cream vendor operations on vessels (5610.97). All operators must comply with DM FoodWatch registration and food safety inspection requirements before commencing service, and must maintain a valid food inspection grade.
In short: if you serve ice cream, gelato, soft-serve, or frozen desserts for immediate consumption from a shop, kiosk, delivery kitchen, or mobile vendor, DM post-approval applies and you are in. If you sell packaged ice cream for home consumption or manufacture ice cream for wholesale, you are not under this code.
Third-Party Approval
Ice-Cream Shop requires Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department approval after the Meydan Free Zone licence is issued, but before any ice cream or frozen dessert service operations commence; operators must register on the DM FoodWatch platform, submit a food safety plan, pass a DM premises inspection, and obtain a food safety certificate before serving customers.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
Ice-Cream Shop is not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP) under UAE anti-money laundering legislation, and ice cream shop operators are not subject to AML registration or reporting obligations specific to this licence category.
References
- ¹ Credence Research, UAE Ice Cream Market Size, Growth, Share and Forecast 2032 - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/uae-ice-cream-market
- ² IMARC Group, UAE Ice Cream Market Size and Growth Forecast 2033 - https://www.imarcgroup.com/uae-ice-cream-market
- ³ Markntel Advisors, UAE Ice Cream Market Size, Trend, Share and Forecast Value 2030 - https://www.marknteladvisors.com/research-library/uae-ice-cream-market.html
- ⁴ UAE News 247, Scoopi Cafe Expands With New Flavors And A Second Location In Abu Dhabi - https://uaenews247.com/2024/10/09/scoopi-cafe-expands-with-new-flavors-and-a-second-location-in-abu-dhabi
- ⁵ The National, Top Ice Cream in the UAE: The Scoop on the Best Sweet Treat to Beat the Heat - https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/food/2025/07/20/best-ice-cream-in-the-uae/
