FAB Group aims to lead in hospitality, dining and branding innovation across MENA

FAB Group, a new lifestyle and culinary venture created by UAE-based investment and development company DEAL Holdings, plans to launch popular boutique brands featuring Michelin-star talent from the UK and Europe across the MENA region, while also creating immersive culinary and lifestyle experiences.

FAB Group is committed to opening a minimum of 25 locations in the UAE over the next five years, with additional flagship destinations in Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha and the Red Sea.

Along with enhancing the region's growing reputation as a global culinary hub, the launch of FAB Group will support local talent, providing access to employment opportunities with roughly 800 jobs set to be created in the UAE alone over the next five years, and more across the wider GCC.

Andrew Cullen, FAB Group Regional F&B Director said: "Over the course of the next few months, we will be making some hugely exciting announcements which will significantly enhance the region's F&B offerings and redefine how the industry is perceived both on a regional and global level.

"The Middle East is already widely regarded as a leader in this space, with many of the world's biggest brands now operating in the region. Our ambition is to build on the fantastic work which has already been carried out and strengthen MENA's global status."

Abdalla Al'Mheiri, DEAL Holdings CEO added: "We are thrilled to introduce FAB Group to the Middle East market, marking a significant moment for the region's hospitality sector, which continues to thrive.

"Created by DEAL Holdings, FAB Group has big ambitions, and we are fully committed to making strategic investment, enabling the brand to evolve with a clear direction while achieving its long-term objectives."

FAB Group's portfolio will span fine dining, contemporary cuisine, café culture, nightlife, wellness concepts, and luxury brand collaborations. Several flagship projects are already in development and will be announced in the coming months.

A major investment and development company, DEAL Holdings boasts a substantial number of branded residences, hospitality projects and commercial real estate across the MENA region.

Significant growth projected for the MENA halal food industry

BCC Research's Halal Food Regional Market Analysis: Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is projected to grow from US$253.9 B in 2025 to US$380 B by the end of 2030, with a CAGR of 7.1% from 2025-2030. Countries covered include Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE.

KSA has the largest market share, which is expected to be worth US$72.7 B by 2030, at a CAGR of 8% over the forecast period.

Distribution channels include hypermarkets and supermarkets, departmental stores, as well as online, while product types include meat and meat products, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and grain products. The meat and meat product segment will continue to dominate through the end of the forecast period.

According to BCC Research, investment and funding in the MENA halal food sector are accelerating, driven by strong government support and interest from international companies. Governments are streamlining approval processes and strengthening regulations to foster a more business-friendly environment. Rising consumer demand for food safety, ethical consumption, and Islamic lifestyle products, amplified by social media, is fuelling market growth. Additionally, strategic collaborations among governments, regulators, and research institutions are advancing innovation, ensuring global compliance, and promoting sustainable development within the halal food ecosystem.

Growth drivers include:

A growing population: The MENA region has a rapidly expanding Muslim population, which naturally sustains and increases demand for halal food. As religious dietary laws are central to daily life, this demographic growth ensures a steady and loyal consumer base for halal-certified products.

E-commerce: The rise of digital platforms and online food delivery services has made halal food more accessible than ever. Consumers can now easily find and purchase halal products online, boosting market reach and convenience, especially among the tech-savvy younger generation.

Increased investment: Governments and private investors are pouring resources into the halal food sector, supporting infrastructure, certification, and innovation. This financial backing is helping local producers scale up and attract global interest, positioning MENA as a key player in the global halal market.

Trends identified by BCC Research include:

Digitally-influenced halal choices: The halal food market in MENA is experiencing rapid growth, largely fuelled by the rising impact of Islamic lifestyle content on social media. Millennials and Gen Z are especially responsive to online trends and influencers, often basing their food choices on digital recommendations.

Ethical and clean eating trends: A growing regional focus on ethical consumption and clean eating is further accelerating the expansion of the halal food market, aligning with global health-conscious and sustainability-driven consumer behaviours.

BCC Research also highlighted Halal Products Development Company (HDPC), a KSA-based startup and a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The company is dedicated to developing a robust halal ecosystem within the kingdom and promoting the localisation of halal production.

HPDC supports international players in expanding their footprint in the Saudi market and invests in the halal industry to enhance the country's production capacity. Its overarching goal is to position KSA as a global hub for the halal sector. Additionally, HPDC offers advisory services to industry stakeholders seeking to navigate the halal market landscape.

Frozen yogurt brand TCBY signs new Qatar agreement

TCBY, the frozen yogurt brand, has announced a new multi-unit franchise development agreement with Sterling Restaurants, a subsidiary of the Al Muftah Group.

The company has over four decades of experience managing TCBY locations in Qatar and deep ties to the region's business landscape, while Al Muftah Group has been a cornerstone of Qatar's economy for over 60 years. 

Under the agreement, Sterling Restaurants plans to open more than 10 new TCBY locations across Qatar within the next five years. While this agreement currently focuses on TCBY, there is potential to introduce TCBY's sister brand, Mrs. Fields Cookies, in the future. 

Initial stores are slated for high-profile areas in prominent malls, with the first opening anticipated in 2025. 

TCBY, under Famous Brands International, is owned by Pearl Street Equity, a US-based single-family office.

Sharjah Media City, Smartt. Studio team up to strengthen e-commerce in MENA

Source: Smartt. Studio. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) formalising the partnership was signed by HE Shihab Alhammadi, Managing Director of Shams, and Kartik Jobanputra, Founder & CEO of Smartt. Studio in the presence of HE Dr Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City 'Shams'. Jobanputra (left), HE Alhammadi (right), with Dr Al Midfa between them.

Sharjah Media City (Shams) and Smartt. Studio have partnered to strengthen the e-commerce space in the MENA region.

Both parties will help global conglomerates and retailers streamline their online expansion strategies by offering a seamless one-stop-shop to meet their e-commerce needs, with timelines to go live in three weeks. Shams and Smartt. Studio further plan joint targeted marketing initiatives to generate interest among global retailers, conglomerates, and e-commerce platforms in the MENA region.

Businesses within the Shams community will now be able to elevate their online presence, amplify revenue streams and expand their customer base exponentially, the two companies said. 

Smartt. Studio's photographers will use cutting-edge technology to showcase clients' products, for example. The images will seamlessly integrate into online retailers' platforms through Smartt. Studio's AI-driven, tailor-made content management system. 

"This partnership perfectly aligns with our vision to establish the MENA region as a global leader in online commerce," said HE Dr Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City 'Shams'.

"By uniting with Smartt. Studio, we can effectively empower businesses to flourish in an exceedingly competitive market with our goal being to drive sustained economic growth and foster innovation throughout the region," said HE Shihab Alhammadi, MD, Sharjah Media City 'Shams'.

"The success of global conglomerates and retailers in the online marketplace lies in presenting their products using unique ideas. We are excited to collaborate with the Sharjah Media City and look forward to supporting conglomerates and retailers seeking online dominance through our streamlined one-stop-shop approach," said Kartik Jobanputra, Founder & CEO of Smartt. Studio.

Petal Ads gives back this Ramadhan in MENA

Petal Ads, formerly known as HUAWEI Ads, has introduced a Ramadan Ad Campaign bundle. 

Through Q123, the Petal Ads mobile ad platform for publishers, advertisers and marketers will provide businesses with premium, exclusive ads spots on Huawei's own media, including AppGallery, HUAWEI Video, HUAWEI Music, Petal Search etc.), Each media property has over 100 million monthly active users (MAUs), guaranteeing high viewability.

In addition to Huawei's own media, Petal Ads provides extra coverage within the major third-party apps and media in the MEA region. As of December 31, 2022, Petal Ads has cooperated with advertisers spanning 200+ industries, with more than 53,000 apps worldwide integrated in an Ads Kit. 

AppGallery will also launch a Ramadan Special Collection, showcased under the Featured Tab, offering users quick access to Ramadhan and Eid-related apps. If advertisers create an AppGallery Campaign assignment, their apps will be displayed in this collection within their respective subcategories and ranked according by bidding outcomes.

Last year's Ramadhan campaign by Petal Ads resulted in advertising investment in the region growing by 447%, while the number of active advertisers doubled. 

Source: Petal Ads. Petal Ads gives businesses superior ad experiences this Ramadhan. Petal Ads' in-house Data Management Platform (DMP) allows customers to reach desired audiences precisely, by targeting users based on their location, demographics, and interests, while complying with users' privacy preferences and consent around consuming Ramadhan-related content.

In-app shopping habits have become mainstream in the Middle East and Africa and e-commerce merchants have already geared up and are ready to increase their orders. During Ramadhan 2022 the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region's total user traction surged by 53%, Petal Ads said. 

And according to a survey conducted by AdColony in the UAE, 63% of people prefer using apps to shop during Ramadhan. The survey also found that 66% of respondents said they bought products after seeing the advertisements.

William Hu, MD, Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East and Africa Eco Development and Operation, stated: "Petal Ads is constantly helping businesses connect more effectively with users, during the month of giving, by offering a unique audience and using advanced targeting. We make our ads affordable and adaptable to different markets while prioritising user privacy. 

"Our ads reach users anytime, anywhere, creating a smarter and more engaging era for mobile advertising. We'll keep using the latest AI, machine learning, and big data advancements to expand our platform."

Petal Ads is Huawei's advertising platform. It distributes ads with pinpoint precision to users throughout the whole Huawei ecosystem and beyond, maximising the effectiveness of any advertising budget. Viu and ChicPoint are shining illustrations of how Petal Ads delivers results. Petal Ads' capabilities has helped Viu, an online streaming service that delivers premium content on-demand, connect with a larger audience and facilitated its 47% business growth for 2022 on the HUAWEI Ecosystem in 2022 across MENA.

Petal Ads also supported cross-border mobile e-commerce platform ChicPoint's launch campaign in the Gulf region (KSA, the UAE, and Kuwait) with a suite of promotional features on AppGallery, including feature cards, top banner cards, and rankings. ChicPoint has since boosted organic downloads and increased monthly revenue by 40%.

Details

Send enquiries to adsmea at huawei dot com.

Anissa Helou named Foodics Icon Award winner

Anissa Helou, the author of award-winning cookbooks, has won the Foodics Icon Award from the Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants organisation. In presenting this accolade, the 50 Best organisation honours outstanding figures in the food industry within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and celebrates an individual who has used their platform to raise awareness and drive positive change.

Helou will receive the award at the 2nd MENA's 50 Best Restaurants award ceremony in Abu Dhabi on 30 January 2023.

Born and raised in Beirut to a Syrian father and a Lebanese mother, Helou has written a number of cookbooks. Her 1st book, Lebanese Cuisine, launched in 1994, was nominated for the André Simon Award. Mediterranean Street Food won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2002 as the best Mediterranean cuisine book in English.

William Drew, Director of Content for 50 Best, commented: "Anissa Helou's relentless efforts in documenting historical culinary traditions serve to both educate and highlight the cultural nuances as well as the shared connectivity of different customs in the age of food globalisation. With this award, we celebrate the impact her research and work has had on preserving food communities."

Helou said, "It wasn't until I started researching and writing my first cookbook, some 30 years ago, that I realised that food is culture, and that through cuisine and foodways, one can come to understand better a country or a region and its people."

More recently, Helou worked with the Culinary Arts Commission of KSA to standardise traditional and contemporary recipes collected from cooks across the kingdom in Saudi Feast, which was published in 2022.

Dubai's Kinoya bags One to Watch Award 2022 from MENA's 50 Best Restaurants

Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants has named Dubai's Kinoya as the winner of its One To Watch Award 2022. The accolade recognises a rising-star restaurant within the region which 50 Best believes has the potential to break into the list in the years to come.

Kinoya's founder and Ramen Queen Neha Mishra opened Kinoya after a wildly successful supper club she ran from her home, called A Story of Food. Kinoya was initially conceptualised as a ramen shop, but finally took the shape of an izakaya to showcase more of Mishra's Japanese technique. 

Source: MENA's 50 Best Restaurants. Chef Mishra's Kinoya has won the One to Watch Award 2022.

Kinoya is divided into multiple sections – a ramen counter, an open seating area, a bar, a chef's table and two tatami rooms for private dining. Its warm, welcoming atmosphere is matched with a menu featuring classical Japanese dishes and other delicacies, as well as a large selection of ramen and a strong robata section. According to MENA's 50 Best Restaurants, Kinoya "is egalitarian and offers excellent value in terms of price point and accessibility".

Chef Mishra said: "We are humbled by the recognition and are delighted to be the winner of the first One To Watch Award at MENA's 50 Best Restaurants. The award is a credit to my team and everyone's hard work; we are just starting out on our journey, but this award shows us we are on the right path."

The award will be presented to Chef Mishra at a gala ceremony for MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2022 in Abu Dhabi on 7 February.

Colliers brings project management, infrastructure advisory services to MENA

Colliers, a diversified professional services and investment management company, has strengthened its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) platform through the introduction of the Colliers Project Leaders' service to the region.

The addition delivers project management and infrastructure advisory services to government, occupier enterprises and private sector owners across complex and large-scale projects, refurbishment programmes, and optimises capital investments through asset enhancements.

"We are thrilled to extend Colliers Project Leaders' end-to-end project management capabilities to MENA. The team's unparalleled level of expertise and depth of experience significantly enhance the services we can provide to clients and further accelerate our growth in the region," said Chris McLernon, CEO, EMEA.

"Our expansion enables us to offer additional expertise including alternative financing such as public-private-partnerships, the establishment of dedicated project management offices, and comprehensive real estate development solutions, all with proven expertise and project certainty," said Yamin Shihab, VP, Colliers Project Leaders, Middle East.

Colliers Project Leaders' business and certified practitioners have successfully completed more than 15,000 projects globally. Colliers was recently recognised with the Hamdan bin Mohammed Award for Innovation in Project Management.

STARZPLAY grew users by 141% in April 2020

STARZPLAY, the subscription video on demand (SVOD) service in MENA, has reported growth of 141% in unique users during April 2020, when the COVID-19 crisis peaked in the region, according to The Rise and Rise of Streaming Video in the MENA Market.

Source: PRNewsfoto/STARZPLAY. Baghdad Central on STARZPLAY.

Conducted by PSB Research, a global insights consultancy, the research examined streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) trends from January 2019 to May 2020, covering two phases – the COVID-19 situation that led to lockdowns, and Ramadhan.

Co-founder and CEO of STARZPLAY Maaz Sheikh said the study provides informed insights on how the region has adapted to streaming video and the growing popularity of STARZPLAY's balanced portfolio of content, both in Arabic and English.

"Our growth is led by our focus on meeting the aspirations of our subscribers by offering content that is relevant to them, and by deploying breakthrough technology such as our advanced recommendation engines," he said.

David James, Senior VP, PSB, added: "This comprehensive study of streaming video trends gives us a unique understanding of entertainment choices among consumers in MENA during COVID-related quarantines."

Highlights include:

- STARZPLAY's active user base increased 42% in January 2020 and 41% in February, surging to 89% in March and 141% in April.

- The number of new subscribers across all markets increased by 58% between February and April 2020.

- Subscribers also consumed more content during COVID-19, with an increase of 50% in streaming hours per unique user.

Total consumption of STARZPLAY content during Ramadhan 2020 more than tripled compared to the same period in 2019. Ramadhan covered late April to late May in 2020.STARZPLAY also reinforced its position as a primetime player in entertainment with the bulk of viewing taking place during evenings. Further, though English content remains the dominant choice, Arabic content doubled its share of total consumption, reaching a peak in the early stages of the pandemic.

STARZPLAY offers more than 10,000 hours of premium content for MENA, including blockbuster movies, exclusive TV shows, kids' content and Arabic series.

Details:

Download the report.

100 trends in MENA for 2018 show closer alignment with the West

Source: JWT website. Cover for the report.

The J. Walter Thompson Middle East and Africa's Innovation Group has released its sixth annual consumer trends report, covering the MENA region for 2018. The Future 100 Trends and Change to Watch in MENA captures key themes accelerating the pace of change for consumers in the economies of Egypt, North Africa, Lebanon, Jordan, the Gulf and KSA.

Each trend in the Future 100 MENA Report is part of a growing phenomenon, that Middle Eastern consumers are increasingly identifying themselves as global citizens. With the universal nature of digital networks, the region is experiencing new spins on parenthood, money and lifestyle matters.

Authored by Mennah Ibrahim, MEA Director of the Innovation Group, the report has 10 main categories - culture, tech & innovation, travel & hospitality, brands & marketing, food & drink, beauty, retail, health, lifestyle, and luxury.

Mennah said: "Borders are collapsing at the touch of technology, causing much faster trend evolution and similarities with the West, as the Middle Eastern consumer increasingly identifies as a 'global citizen'. Last year, I wrote about the growing demand for brands and lifestyle products to offer Muslim-centric options of diverse identity, social justice and social impact. Interestingly, these recurring themes, along with other emerging trends, are now flowing faster in the opposite direction. This East to West exchange is making those trends' influences felt across consumer categories around the globe - even in space."

According to the report: 

Rebranding sexual wellness: Trend No. 86

Sexual health is breaking out of its taboo status to become more aligned with health and wellbeing. The Muslimah Sex Manual: A Halal Guide to Mind Blowing Sex, is the first such guide written by a Muslim woman for women, addressing many of the misconceptions passed down by cultural standing. The tide on sexuality is fundamentally turning with wellness brands moving into the sexual health area.

Mingling with the machine: Trend No. 7

According to Accenture, 82% of UAE respondents cited the availability of artificial intelligence (AI) anytime as a key reason why they prefer it to human interaction. At the Future Investment Initiative in KSA, a humanoid robot demonstrated her capacity for human expression and interaction. At GITEX Dubai, robo-cops keeping the peace and robo-surgeons performing surgery over 5G were a major highlight.

Halal space food: Trend No. 44

KSA has invested US$1 billion in Virgin Galactic, and Egyptian Mohammed Sallam is set to fly to the Red Planet as part of mission Mars One. With more Muslim astronauts travelling to space, Texas A&M University System plans to conduct research on halal food as part of its NASA programme. "If there is a demand for halal food we will have research on it, to NASA requirements," said Mian Nadeem Riaz, NASA R&D director.

By women for women: Trend No. 10

Women are using social media, girl-focused platforms and messages of empowerment to create content and solutions for women, by women. In KSA, Google expects this content to rise by 75% over 2016's figures. Vlogger Njoud al Shammari said: "YouTube gives me the power to have a voice not only to express myself but to express what other women need, and what they feel needs to change in our society."

Rebranding KSA: Trend No. 4

With a target of attracting 1.5 million foreign visitors by 2020, KSA's cultural reforms and relaxed tourist visa laws are already attracting foreign investors, who find that the country's unexplored territories add to its mystique. Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson said: "This is an incredibly exciting time in the country's history, and I've always felt that there's nothing like getting a firsthand impression."

Explore:

Download the report

Travel search activity in MENA spikes during Ramadhan

Source: Think with Google.

The Think with Google site has observed changes in travel behaviour in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during Ramadhan. The marketing platform observes that search activity for flights and hotels rose significantly during Ramadhan in 2015, particularly in the second half of Ramadhan and immediately after.

"The combination of more free time and a celebratory atmosphere means that time spent online and consumer spending are higher during Ramadhan than any other period - and the opportunities for brands within the realm of travel are huge," Think with Google said in an industry perspective.

Marketers and brands should take advantage of this trend to gain some of a US$80 billion Middle East travel market, where 25% of customers book hotels and flights online*, Think with Google says, pointing to the Ramadhan promotions and digital campaigns from brands such as Emirates NBD, Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways. 

Last year, Makkah, Saudi Arabia was the No. 1 destination searched in Abu Dhabi, and No. 3 in Dubai. Meanwhile, the top search spot during Ramadhan for Dubai, which has a population comprising of nearly 88% expatriates, is Bangkok, Thailand.

Think with Google also suggests designing promotions around mobile, noting that 43% of millennials check their smartphones every five minutes in MENA, and searches on mobile represented more than 60% of total queries in Ramadhan 2015. In Saudi Arabia, the largest market in MENA, more than 90% of queries for regional travel suppliers such as Nas Air and Saudia were on mobile.

Interested?

Read the TechTrade Asia blog posts about mobile behaviour from ABI Research, Akamai and MasterCard

*MENA Travel Book

Dubai Islamic Bank is a preferred employer in MENA

Source: DIB.

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the largest Islamic bank in the UAE, has been recognised as one of the most preferred employers for potential candidates on LinkedIn within the MENA region. DIB was ranked 16th amongst the MENA’s top 20 Most In-Demand Employers 2015, making it one of the top 10 local brands on the list. DIB is also the sole bank in the list.

LinkedIn releases an annual list of the top employers based on billions of interactions from LinkedIn members across the world. The ranking is based on employer brand awareness and the methodology includes reach, engagement and job activity. As such, businesses are ranked according to the number of users who view profiles of their employees, connect with their employees, visit or follow their company pages, and view or apply to job postings by the company.

Cornel Fourie, Head of Human Resources, Dubai Islamic Bank, said: “As the first Islamic bank in the UAE, we are proud of this accomplishment and delighted to be named as one of the premium talent brands in the MENA region for the first time. This recognition underscores our relentless efforts to position the Islamic banking sector as an attractive employer of aspiring talents as well as our commitment to nurture the new generation of UAE banking professionals. As we grow and continue to expand, we are eager to see more talented individuals including UAE nationals leading the future of the banking sector locally and driving the global appeal of Islamic finance.”

Ali Matar, Head of Talent Solutions, LinkedIn MENA, added; “We were very pleased to recognise our top Talent Solutions clients in MENA for 2015 in the inaugural ceremony, held in Dubai, UAE. Local brands have been celebrated based on their outstanding recruitment strategy, engagement and results on our LinkedIn platform. We believe that Dubai Islamic Bank's curated and strategic approach to talent acquisition through social recruiting contributes significantly to their brand strength which in its turn impacts positively their employee retention and engagement.”

Recognising the importance of this platform, DIB has been strengthening its presence on LinkedIn to connect with job seekers who are looking to engage with its talent brand. These receive continuous updates on job openings and ongoing initiatives such as participation in career exhibitions. Currently, DIB has more than 116,000 followers including employee members, an increase of 97% from the same period in 2014.

DIB runs programmes aimed at introducing potential candidates to the concepts and principles of shari'ah-compliant financial services. Additionally, the bank has also created a range of training programmes across different levels of the bank while it actively participates at various career fairs across the country to engage job seekers. 

UN, World Bank and Islamic Development Bank to up funding in MENA to address refugee crisis

The Secretary General of the United Nations and the Presidents of the World Bank Group and the Islamic Development Bank Group announced today a joint initiative to scale up financing in the Middle East and North Africa to help countries hosting significant refugee populations, countries impacted by conflict, as well as countries that have significant investment needs to achieve economic recovery.

“The world today is witness to higher levels of conflict than a decade ago, and the highest level of forced displacement since the Second World War,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “The drivers of violence and instability are more complex and more intractable than ever. Nothing emphasises this reality more than the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa. To address the scale and the nature of the conflicts, we need new approaches. It is important that the World Bank, as a close partner to the UN, and other international financial institutions, mainstream and actively invest in conflict-affected states.”

The proposed financing initiative consists of two distinct mechanisms to support countries impacted by conflict and economic slowdown, as well as those affected by large numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons:

• Under the first mechanism, guarantees from donor countries would be leveraged in order to issue special bonds, including sukuk, to finance economic recovery and reconstruction projects;

• In the second mechanism, grants from donor countries would be used to provide concessional finance to middle income countries of the region hosting the bulk of refugees.

“Strong global partnerships and innovative financing are essential to meet the scale of the need in these hard-hit countries,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “Concerted action by the international community is vital – otherwise, violence and conflict will continue to corrode the economies, societies, and lives of millions of people. It is our collective responsibility to support the Middle East and North Africa region at this critical time, and this requires significant resources - more than any one country or organsation is able to provide on its own.”

The financing initiative was presented at an international ministerial roundtable on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund. A broad range of governments and international organisations agreed on the urgent need to mobilise additional financing for the Middle East and North Africa.

Over 15 million people in the Middle East and North Africa have been forced from their homes over the past four years due to conflict and instability, taking an enormous humanitarian and economic toll on the region. Beyond the human suffering, immense pressures have been placed on the resources of host countries that were already facing significant economic challenges. In addition to the immediate costs, estimates to rebuild the war-torn areas are in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Even countries not directly affected by conflict have seen their economies slow down and youth unemployment increase; as a result, those countries have significant needs to restore economic growth.

"History has taught us that it is never too early to plan for post-conflict recovery and reconstruction,” stated Islamic Development Bank Group President Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al-Madani. “The impact of unrest and conflict across the region, including the growing number of refugees and internally displaced persons, is taking us outside our comfort zone and is clearly challenging us to act differently and innovatively, but more importantly, to act collectively and decisively.”

Meeting participants expressed support for the World Bank Group’s new strategy for the Middle East and North Africa, which promotes economic and social inclusion in order to help reinforce peace and stability in the region. In addition, an agreement was reached for the formation of a working group to be co-chaired by the United Nations, the World Bank Group, and the Islamic Development Bank Group. The working group was asked to finalise the details of the financing mechanisms and develop an implementation roadmap by February 2016.

Muslims to be largest religious group in Asia Pacific by 2050

Muslim populations are expected to grow in absolute number in all regions of the world between 2010 and 2050, says the Future of World Religions project from Pew Research. In the Asia-Pacific region, for instance, the Muslim population is expected to reach nearly 1.5 billion by 2050, up from roughly 1 billion in 2010. The number of Muslims in the Middle East-North Africa region is expected to increase from about 300 million in 2010 to more than 550 million in 2050.

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to remain the home of a majority of the world’s Muslims. However, the share of the global Muslim population living in several Asian countries with large Muslim populations (such as Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh) is anticipated to decline between 2010 and 2050. While 62% of the world’s Muslims lived in Asia and the Pacific in 2010, 53% are projected to live in the region in 2050. Although a smaller share of the world’s Muslims are projected to live in the Asia-Pacific region in 2050 compared with 2010, the share of the region’s population that is Muslim is expected to grow from 24% in 2010 to nearly 30% in 2050. In fact, Muslims are projected to surpass Hindus and become the largest religious group in the Asia-Pacific region by 2050.

The Middle East-North Africa region is predominantly Muslim, but as of 2010, only one-in-five Muslims lived in that part of the world. By 2050, about the same share of the global Muslim population is expected to live in the Middle East and North Africa (20%). With the bulk of the Middle East-North Africa region’s population being Muslim, the overall growth for Muslims there (74%) is expected to be about the same as the region overall (73%).

Muslims made up 14% of India’s population in 2010; they are expected to rise to 18% in 2050. Less than half of Nigeria’s population (49%) was Muslim in 2010, but Muslims are expected to make up a majority of the population (59%) in 2050.

As of 2010, Indonesia had the largest number of Muslims (about 209 million Muslims, or about 13% of the world’s Muslims), followed by India (176 million, or about 11%), Pakistan (167 million, 10%) and Bangladesh (134 million, 8%). Nigeria, Egypt, Iran and Turkey each also had more than 70 million Muslims in 2010.

With the exception of India, where Muslims are a minority religious group, and Nigeria, where Muslims made up nearly half the population, the other eight countries on the list each had a large Muslim majority in 2010.

India is projected to have the world’s largest Muslim population in 2050 (311 million), while Pakistan is expected to have the second-most Muslims (273 million). Indonesia – the country with the largest number of Muslims in 2010 – is expected to fall to third place by 2050, with 257 million Muslims. Nigeria is forecast to rank fourth, with about 231 million Muslims at mid-century.

By 2050, Iraq and Afghanistan are expected to join the list of countries with the 10 largest Muslim populations. All told, more than six-in-ten of the world’s Muslims (62%) are projected to live in the 10 countries with the most Muslims in 2050, slightly smaller than the share of the world’s Muslims that lived in the top 10 countries in 2010 (66%).

posted from Bloggeroid

Euromonitor unveils top trends for beverages in MENA

Market researcher Euromonitor International is offering an e-book about the top five soft and hot drinks trends in six countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.

Source: Euromonitor website.

The MENA region will see 8.6% year-on-year forecast growth in healthy beverage categories compared to 2.9% growth in the carbonates category due to campaigns against sugary drinks led by the respective ministries of health. Key players within the soft and hot drinks market are also being adventurous in terms of packaging innovation, which is driving sales in struggling economies within the region, the research firm said.

Trends highlighted include: 

Healthy drinks have seen increased popularity in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria due to consumers’ interest in healthy lifestyles. Also, with the growing concerns over the quality of tap water in Iran, Euromonitor has seen a growing demand for bottled water. Additionally, low calorie carbonated drinks as well as 'still' drinks are growing as consumers face growing concerns about obesity.

Energy drinks continue to be very popular in markets such as Saudi Arabia due to the ban of alcohol in the country. Euromonitor noted that energy drinks are often seen as a ‘substitute’ leisure drink due to the high caffeine content. 

Packaging in the MENA region is seeing new innovation through product development and environmentally friendly bottle designs. Slim cans, mainly used for ‘trendy’ energy drinks have successfully changed the look of the carbonates market in 2014. Furthermore, Saudi’s growing demand for convenience has led to an increase in demand for impulse single-serve consumption drinks. 

To read more, download the e-book here.