Can I produce beverages in the UAE and export them to the GCC and MENA?
Yes. You can produce in the UAE and sell across the GCC and MENA, provided each destination's registration, labelling and importer rules are met. Saudi Arabia, for example, needs SFDA registration through a Saudi importer. 360 F&B HUB plans production, labels and registrations together, so one recipe and one label base serve several markets. Production runs at our own and partner facilities; co-packing starts from AED 0.23 per can, materials separate.
Why produce in the UAE for export?
The UAE gives you one production base between the GCC, MENA and India, with the label and product file built to GCC rules from the start. For many brands that means one recipe, one label base and one production plan instead of a separate project per country. Whether it pays depends on your product, pack and markets — we compare producing locally against importing on the strategy call.
Does a beverage made in the UAE need separate registration in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Saudi Arabia registers products separately: a Saudi SFDA-registered importer must register the product with SFDA before import, and the label must meet Saudi requirements. If the UAE file is built to GCC rules, most of the content carries over. Our SFDA registration starts from AED 18,000 per product, government fees at cost.
Does "Made in UAE" help with exports to the GCC?
It can. UAE-made goods that meet the GCC rules of origin can generally move within the GCC customs union without customs duty, with the right certificate of origin — but product registration and labelling are still required in each country. For India, the UAE–India CEPA can reduce duties on qualifying goods. We confirm origin rules and documents for your product and route.
What changes on the label for export?
Usually less than brands expect, if the base label is built right. GCC countries share labelling rules (GSO 9) with Arabic mandatory; the importer's details, local requirements and claims may differ per market. We design one label base and adapt it per destination before print — packaging design from AED 8,000 per SKU.
Can one production run serve several markets?
Often, yes — if the recipe and label are compliant for all of them. Where a label must differ, the importer details or market-specific elements are planned so the run can be split. We size runs to real orders per market, because a slightly higher unit cost on a smaller run is cheaper than writing off stock.
Is 360 F&B HUB supported by Dubai DET?
Yes. 360 F&B HUB is supported by the export team of Dubai DET (Department of Economy and Tourism). Government bodies and free zones can find how we work with them on government and free zones.
Who acts as importer in the destination country?
Each country needs a locally licensed importer, and in Saudi Arabia it must be registered with SFDA. That can be your distributor, your own local entity or a partner. We plan the importer question early, because it decides who holds the registration and how the shelf price is built from factory gate to shelf.
Can you help international brands use the UAE as an export base?
Yes. International brands can produce in the UAE at our own and partner facilities and sell from here across the GCC, MENA and India. We handle the recipe adaptation, registrations, labels and production plan; you choose what to hand over. See market entry for the UAE launch side.
