Table of Contents
How to Start a Wholesale Eggs & Egg Products Business with Meydan Free Zone
The UAE needs more eggs than it can produce. That has been true every year for the past two decades, and it will be true for the next two.
According to Statista1, domestic production stands at 1.13 billion eggs annually. However, the production doesn’t even come close to meeting the demand.
For the wholesale trader, this is not a market you need to create demand in. The demand is already there, it exceeds supply, and it recurs daily.
Over 85 percent of the GCC's food requirements are met through imports, according to Alpen Capital via Persistence Market Research³. The UAE sources table eggs from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Spain, and Germany.
UAE is the most important egg destination in the Middle East for U.S. exporters, according to the American Egg Board⁴. The Middle East egg products market was valued at USD 11.2 billion in 2023, projected to reach USD 24.76 billion by 2030 at a 12 percent CAGR, according to Virtue Market Research⁵.
Processed egg products, including liquid, frozen, and powdered eggs, are the fastest-growing sub-segment, driven by demand from the bakery, confectionery, HORECA, and food manufacturing sectors.
For wholesale traders importing and distributing shell eggs, liquid eggs, frozen eggs, and egg powder across the UAE and GCC, this is a market where daily consumption is universal, local production falls short, and the import channel is the primary supply mechanism.
Meydan Free Zone offers 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, full profit repatriation, and a fully digital licensing process, providing egg wholesalers a compliant and cost-efficient base in one of the GCC's most import-dependent food markets.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Shell egg importers and distributors | |
| Processed egg product wholesalers | |
| HORECA and industrial egg suppliers | |
| Traders sourcing fresh table eggs from producing countries including Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States for wholesale distribution to supermarkets, grocery chains, and independent retailers across the UAE and GCC. | |
| Businesses trading in liquid eggs, frozen whole eggs, egg powder, and pasteurised egg products for supply to bakeries, confectioneries, ice cream manufacturers, mayonnaise producers, and other food processing operations. | |
| Operators supplying eggs and egg products in bulk to hotels, restaurants, catering companies, airline kitchens, and institutional food service providers who consume eggs as a daily kitchen staple across every cuisine. |
4630.03 - Wholesale Of Eggs And Egg Products
This activity covers the wholesale trade of eggs and egg-based products. You are in the business of buying and selling shell eggs and processed egg products in wholesale quantities for distribution to retailers, food service operators, food manufacturers, and institutional buyers.
The scope covers fresh shell eggs (chicken, duck, quail, and other poultry), as well as processed egg products including liquid eggs (whole, yolk, and white), frozen eggs, pasteurised eggs, dried egg powder, and egg-based ingredients traded as wholesale food inputs.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Fresh shell eggs | Table eggs and shell eggs Wholesale of fresh chicken eggs, duck eggs, and quail eggs in shell for supply to retailers, grocery stores, and food service operators. The UAE sources table eggs from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Spain, Germany, and the United States. UAE SUPPLY CHAIN The UAE produced 1.13 billion eggs in 2021 but remains highly import-reliant; over 85 percent of GCC food requirements are sourced through imports. |
| Liquid and pasteurised eggs | Liquid and pasteurised egg products Trading in pasteurised liquid whole egg, liquid yolk, and liquid egg white for supply to bakeries, confectioneries, pasta manufacturers, and food processing plants that require consistent, ready-to-use egg inputs at scale. INDUSTRIAL DEMAND The food industry holds 57.2 percent of the UAE liquid eggs market; bakeries, confectioneries, and food manufacturers are the largest buyers of processed egg products. |
| Frozen and dried egg products | Frozen whole eggs and egg powder Wholesale of frozen whole eggs and dried egg powder for food manufacturers, catering companies, and institutional buyers who need shelf-stable egg products for large-volume production. Frozen whole eggs are the largest U.S. egg product export to the Middle East. TRADE CONTEXT The Middle East serves as a transit route for egg exports to Iraq, Iran, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. |
| Specialty and enriched eggs | Organic, free-range and enriched eggs Distribution of organic, free-range, cage-free, and omega-3 enriched eggs for supply to premium retailers, health-focused grocery chains, and high-end HORECA operators catering to the UAE's growing health-conscious consumers. CONSUMER TREND Rising demand for organic, free-range, and enriched eggs in the UAE mirrors global trends, driven by health-conscious consumers and stricter food safety standards imposed by the government. |
This activity covers wholesale trade only. Producing eggs through poultry farming is agricultural production.
Processing shell eggs into liquid, frozen, or powdered products is manufacturing. Selling eggs directly to individual consumers through shops or online platforms is retail trade.
Apart from these exclusions, this activity excludes the blending of wine or distilled spirits which falls under a separate class.
If you are importing shell eggs or trading in liquid, frozen, or powdered egg products at wholesale volumes, this is your activity. If you are running a poultry farm, processing eggs in a factory, or selling cartons to walk-in shoppers, it is not.
Third-Party Approval
No third-party approval is required for this business activity.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ Statista — Number of Egg Production in the GCC as of 2021, by Country — https://www.statista.com/statistics/1365235/gcc-number-of-egg-production-by-country/
- ² The Business Research Company — Egg Market Size, Competitors, Trends & Forecast to 2030 — https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/egg-global-market-report
- ³ Persistence Market Research / Alpen Capital — UAE Liquid Eggs Market Size & Sales Statistics (2025–2032) — https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/uae-liquid-eggs-market.asp
- ⁴ American Egg Board — Middle East: Key Markets for U.S. Egg Exports — https://www.incredibleegg.org/professionals/import-export/for-us-egg-suppliers/key-markets/middle-east/
- ⁵ Virtue Market Research — Middle East Egg Products Market Size, Share, Growth (2024–2030) — https://virtuemarketresearch.com/report/middle-east-egg-products-market
