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How to Start a Ice Cream Trading Business with Meydan Free Zone
Ice cream is one of the UAE's most commercially active and climate-driven food categories, with year-round demand sustained by summer temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and a growing premium and artisan segment driven by the country's affluent and innovation-hungry consumer base. The UAE ice cream market reached USD 379.11 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 493.36 million by 2033 at a CAGR of 2.97%.[1] Impulse ice creams in single-serve format account for over 60% of the market.[2] In 2024, Pure Ice Cream announced an AED 80 million investment in a new Dubai Industrial City facility, and Ferrero rolled out its Kinder Bueno, Ferrero Rocher, and Raffaello ice cream range in the UAE with a dramatic Palm Jumeirah launch event.
The viral 2024 Dubai Chocolate trend found immediate expression in ice cream formats, demonstrating the category's agility and consumer engagement.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| RETAIL AND CONSUMER | Ice Cream Retailers and Distributors Distributors and retailers supplying ice cream in all formats to UAE supermarkets, convenience stores, petrol stations, vending machines, and retail channels. |
| PREMIUM AND FOOD SERVICE | Premium and Food Service Ice Cream Traders Traders supplying artisan and premium ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen dessert products to UAE hotels, restaurants, beach clubs, and specialist dessert outlets. |
4721.96 - Ice Cream Trading
Activity 4721.96 covers the trading of ice cream. This encompasses impulse ice cream bars and lollies, tubs and cartons of take-home ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yoghurt, dairy-free and vegan ice cream, premium and artisan ice cream in all formats, soft-serve mix, and all frozen dessert products sold and distributed through retail and food service channels.
Activity 4721.96 covers ice cream trading. Ice (non-dairy, food-grade cooling ice) falls under activity 4721.82.
In short: if you are trading ice cream and frozen dessert products, you are in. Cooling ice falls under 4721.82.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Impulse and single-serve ice creamIce cream bars, cornetto-style cones, lollies, and individually wrapped ice cream for impulse purchase channels. | Dairy-free and health ice cream Vegan, oat-milk, coconut-milk, and reduced-calorie ice cream products for the UAE's growing health-conscious consumer segment. |
| Take-home tubs and cartons500ml to 2-litre tubs, litre cartons, and family-format ice cream packaging for supermarket and retail take-home. | Soft-serve mix and foodservice formats Soft-serve ice cream mix, large catering tubs, and food service frozen dessert products for restaurants, cafes, and dessert outlets. |
| Premium and artisan ice cream | Artisan gelato, single-origin ice cream, premium flavour ice cream, and high-quality frozen dessert products for premium retail and food service. |
Third-Party Approval
This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ IMARC Group. (2025). UAE Ice Cream Market Size. imarcgroup.com
- ² Credence Research. (2025). UAE Ice Cream Market. credenceresearch.com
