Solico Group is using its presence at Gulfood 2026 to demonstrate how UAE-based food manufacturing can secure the region’s long-term food supply. The company, with five decades of experience in the Middle East, has set up its stand at Hall 4, Stand B4-60 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
The AED 130 million SoFood Dubai factory sits at the heart of this strategy. The facility is now running and making products. It shows how production inside the UAE cuts the need for imports and builds a more stable food system.
SoFood Dubai operates from Jebel Ali Free Zone. The plant makes up to 40 tonnes of food each day. Its design allows the company to add new product lines without major disruption. This structure supports both the UAE market and exports to neighbouring countries.
The approach supports the UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051. Local production shortens supply routes and reduces risk from global market changes. It also fits with the Dubai Industrial Strategy and the Made in UAE programme, which position food manufacturing as a key part of economic stability.
Solico is displaying products from across its range at the event. These include dairy, ice cream, meat, beverages, ready meals, ready-to-eat items, sports nutrition, baby food, and health products. The company manages more than 2,000 product lines across its global sites.
The Group’s Milk Refinery represents a major technical asset. It is the first facility of this type in Asia and now forms part of Solico’s UAE operations. The refinery enables precise nutrition work, cuts waste, and improves production efficiency. It supports consistent output in categories such as infant nutrition and specialist dietary foods.
The company is also producing Pemina meats in the UAE. This strengthens local protein supply and builds a production base that meets export standards.
At the stand, visitors can watch food being prepared, taste products with chefs, and see technical demonstrations. The company is holding discussions with buyers and partners about regional supply chains, export opportunities, and long-term production partnerships.
Mr Gholamali Soleimani, Founder and Group Chairman, Solico Group, said: “Food security cannot rely on trading alone. It is built through manufacturing capability, localisation, and long-term investment. By producing in the UAE, at scale and with flexibility, we are contributing to the country’s food security vision while serving the wider region from within it. After 50 years in food production, we see this as a responsibility as much as a strategy.”
Solico Group runs 16 factories and employs more than 25,000 people worldwide. Its presence at Gulfood 2026 signals that regional food security depends on companies that invest in local infrastructure and build systems that last beyond immediate supply needs.
