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How to Start a Juice and Soft Drinks Preparing Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Fresh juice preparation is one of the most commercially viable health-driven food service formats in the UAE. The country’s extreme summer heat, health-conscious consumer base, and dense hospitality infrastructure create year-round demand for freshly prepared juices, cold-pressed beverages, smoothies, and wellness drinks. The UAE fruit juice market was valued at USD 770.1 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1.136 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 4.42%, according to IMARC Group¹. The demand for organic and cold-pressed juices has been rising, with younger demographics and health-conscious professionals willing to pay a premium for freshly prepared, additive-free beverages.
Joe & The Juice, the Danish specialty juice and coffee concept, opened a 154-cover Dubai flagship store at Dubai Design District (D3) in September 2022 with outdoor terrace views of the Burj Khalifa. The Raw Place, founded in Dubai in 2014, now offers over 70 organic cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and wellness foods. Organic Press provides daily cold-pressed delivery, and Pulp Juice Bar offers 50-plus juice and smoothie options. Government health initiatives including the Dubai Fitness Challenge and the rise of gyms, spas, and wellness retreats create a supportive structural environment for juice and soft drink preparation businesses. Code 5630.98 carries a Dubai Municipality post-licence food safety approval requirement for food and drink preparation.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Fresh juice bar and cold-press concept operators | Operators of fresh juice bars, cold-pressed juice counters, and specialty juice concepts providing freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices, cold-pressed beverages, and wellness shots for immediate on-premises consumption or same-day delivery. |
| Smoothie and blended drink bar operators | Operators of smoothie bars, blended drink counters, and fresh fruit shake concepts providing freshly prepared smoothies, protein shakes, acai bowls, and blended wellness drinks for immediate on-premises consumption. |
| Artisan soft drink and mocktail preparing operators | Operators of artisan soft drink counters, specialty mocktail bars, and freshly prepared non-alcoholic beverage concepts serving house-made sodas, infused waters, fresh lemonades, and crafted non-alcoholic cocktails for immediate on-premises consumption. |
5630.98 - Juice and Soft Drinks Preparing
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Fresh juice bars and cold-press concepts | Fresh juice bar and cold-pressed juice concept operations Operation of a fresh juice bar or cold-pressed juice concept providing freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices, cold-pressed single-origin beverages, wellness shots, and juice cleanse products for immediate on-premises consumption or collection. |
| Smoothie bars and blended wellness drinks | Smoothie bar and blended drink preparing operations Operation of a smoothie bar or blended wellness drink counter providing freshly prepared smoothies, protein shakes, acai bowls, green blends, and functional blended beverages for immediate on-premises consumption. |
| Artisan soft drinks and mocktail preparing | Artisan soft drink and specialty mocktail preparation operations Operation of an artisan soft drink counter or specialty mocktail bar preparing house-made sodas, flavoured sparkling waters, fresh lemonades, kombucha, shrubs, and crafted non-alcoholic cocktails for immediate on-premises consumption. |
Code 5630.98 covers the preparation and serving of freshly made juices, smoothies, and soft drinks for immediate on-premises consumption. It expressly excludes the reselling of packaged or pre-prepared juices and soft drinks without fresh preparation (ISIC 47); retail sale of packaged beverages (ISIC 4711–47); and the manufacturing of bottled juice and soft drink products for wholesale distribution (ISIC 1102–11). DM FoodWatch registration and food safety approval must be obtained before commencing service.
In short: if you freshly prepare and serve juices, smoothies, or soft drinks for immediate on-premises consumption, DM post-approval applies and you are in. If you resell pre-packaged beverages without fresh preparation or manufacture bottled drinks for wholesale, you are not under this code.
Third-Party Approval
This activity requires Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department approval after the Meydan Free Zone licence is issued but before operations commence; operators must register on DM FoodWatch, submit a food safety plan, pass inspection, and obtain a food safety certificate before serving customers.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This activity is not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP) under UAE anti-money laundering legislation, and operators are not subject to AML registration or reporting obligations specific to this licence category.
References
- ¹ IMARC Group, UAE Fruit Juice Market Size, Share, Growth and Forecast 2033 - https://www.imarcgroup.com/uae-fruit-juice-market
- ² Grand View Research, Non-Alcoholic Beverages Market Size and Forecast 2033 - https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/nonalcoholic-beverage-market
- ³ Mordor Intelligence, GCC Juice Market, Size, Share, Trends and Analysis - https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/gcc-juice-market
- ⁴ Aviaan Accounting, Feasibility Study for Juice Bar and Smoothie Shop in the UAE - https://aviaanaccounting.com/feasibility-study-for-juice-bar-and-smoothie-shop-in-the-uae/
- ⁵ Visit Ras Al Khaimah, Top Places for Fresh Juice and Smoothies in UAE - https://visitrasalkhaimah.com/blog/top-places-for-fresh-juice-and-smoothies-in-uae/
