Table of Contents
Topic Summary
UAE Snack Market Is Steadily Growing
The UAE snacks market is projected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 3.6% from 2024 to 2029. This growth is fuelled by a young population, busy urban lifestyles, and high tourist traffic.
Chocolate and Savoury Snacks Lead Sales
Chocolate confectionery holds the largest share of the UAE snacks market, followed by savoury snacks, ice cream, and sweet biscuits. Major brands like Lay's, Pringles, Kinder, and Snickers are all active competitors in this space.
Health-Focused Snacks Are a Rising Opportunity
Demand for protein bars, vegetable crisps, rice cakes, and specialty snack formats is growing alongside the UAE's health-conscious consumer segment. Hunter Foods debuted mushroom chips and okra chips at Gulfood 2024, signalling strong market appetite for innovative options.
Activity Code 4721.90 Covers Most Snack Products
Meydan Free Zone classifies snack food trading under activity code 4721.90, which includes crisps, popcorn, pretzels, extruded snacks, snack bars, and sweet biscuits. Note that chocolate confectionery and nuts fall under separate activity codes.
No Third-Party Approval Required for Licensing
Snack food trading under activity 4721.90 does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone. This streamlines the setup process for new traders entering the market.
Strong Retail Infrastructure Supports Snack Trading
The UAE's high convenience store density, active vending culture, and impulse purchase habits create ideal commercial conditions for snack food distributors. Supermarkets, petrol station forecourts, and vending operators all represent viable sales channels.
How to Start a Snack Food Trading Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Snack food trading is a large and growing category in the UAE, driven by the country's young and active population, busy urban lifestyles, strong on-the-go consumption culture, and high tourist traffic. The UAE snacks market is projected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 3.6% from 2024 to 2029.[1] Chocolate confectionery holds the largest share within snacks, followed by savoury snacks, ice cream, and sweet biscuits.[2] Major international brands including Lay's, Pringles, Kinder, and Snickers are all active in the market alongside local UAE snack producers.
Hunter Foods introduced mushroom chips and okra chips at Gulfood 2024, reflecting the UAE market's appetite for innovative and health-oriented snack formats. The UAE's strong retail infrastructure, high convenience store density, and active vending and impulse purchase culture create ideal commercial conditions for snack food traders.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| RETAIL AND IMPULSE | Snack Food Retailers and Importers Importers and distributors supplying crisps, popcorn, nuts, pretzels, and all savoury and sweet snack products to UAE supermarkets, convenience stores, petrol station forecourts, and vending operators. |
| HEALTH AND SPECIALTY | Health and Specialty Snack Traders Traders importing and distributing health-focused snacks, protein bars, rice cakes, vegetable crisps, and specialty snack formats responding to the UAE's growing health-conscious consumer segment. |
4721.90 - Snack Food Trading
Activity 4721.90 covers the trading of snack food. This encompasses potato crisps and tortilla chips, popcorn, pretzels, rice crackers, extruded snacks, sweet biscuits, snack bars and energy bars, trail mix, and all snack food products sold individually or in multipack formats for impulse and at-home consumption.
Activity 4721.90 covers snack food trading. Chocolate confectionery falls under 4721.77.
Nuts fall under 4721.92.
In short: if you are trading snack food products, you are in. Nuts fall under 4721.92.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Crisps and savoury snacksPotato crisps, tortilla chips, corn snacks, extruded snacks, and all savoury snack products in all formats and flavours. | Snack bars and protein bars Cereal bars, energy bars, protein bars, and health-positioned snack bar products for UAE's active sports and wellness market. |
| Popcorn and puffed snacksFlavoured and plain popcorn, rice cakes, puffed corn snacks, and lighter-format grain-based snack products. | Specialty and health snacks Vegetable crisps, seaweed snacks, dried fruit snacks, and health-positioned snack alternatives for the UAE's premium snack market. |
| Sweet biscuits and cookies | Sweet biscuits, cookies, wafer products, and cream-filled biscuits for retail impulse and at-home snacking. |
Compliance
THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL
This activity requires post-approval from the DM (Dubai Municipality) before a business license can be issued by Meydan Free Zone.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ MarkNtel Advisors. (2025). UAE Snacks Market Size. marknteladvisors.com
- ² MarkNtel Advisors. (2025). UAE Snacks Market Size. marknteladvisors.com
