UAE's Al Ain Farms to double egg production, to become one of GCC’s largest producers

Al Ain Farms Group, one of the UAE's oldest and largest food producers, is set to double its table egg production to 800 million annually, making it one of the largest egg producers in the GCC.

This expansion is part of the newly merged entity's push to enhance food security and position the UAE as a protein powerhouse. 

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Speaking to Khaleej Times, CEO Hassan Safi revealed, "We currently produce about 400 million eggs per year. Once we scale up to 800 million, we will be one of the largest table egg producer in the region. This is a major strategic move."

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The company is also expanding its poultry production and introducing a range of protein-enriched dairy and juice products aimed at health-conscious consumers. 

The expansion follows a strategic merger bringing together five of the UAE’s most trusted food producers — Al Ain Farms, Marmum Dairy, Al Ajban Chicken, Al Jazira Poultry Farm’s Golden Eggs, and Saha Arabian Farms — under one umbrella. The consolidation, supported by Ghitha Holding and YAS Holding, aims to create a unified food production platform with a fully integrated supply chain.

Farming in the desert

The UAE’s harsh climate has always posed a challenge to agriculture, but Al Ain Farms has defied the odds since its inception more than four decades ago. Safi credits the company’s success to continuous innovation and now, increasingly, the use of AI. 

"When we first started putting cows in the desert, it was a revolutionary idea," said Safi. "Now AI is making everything smarter — from cow health monitoring to sales predictions.”

In partnership with UAE University and a global AI firm, Al Ain Farms is developing a predictive model that uses both historical and real-time consumption data to optimise supply and reduce waste. "With AI, we believe we can cut down industry average waste in retail."

"That would be a significant gain for food security and operational efficiency.” AI is also being deployed to detect early signs of illness in cows using robotic systems, allowing for faster and more precise intervention. "We're exploring robots that roam the barns, capturing images and identifying unwell cows before humans even notice."

In addition to AI, the company is investing in sugar reduction, lactose-free dairy, sustainable packaging, and alternative protein innovations. Safi declined to share specific export figures due to listing regulations but hinted at ambitions to replicate Al Ain Farms’ full-value-chain model in underdeveloped markets. "We're not looking to export fresh products directly, but we are studying opportunities to invest and build similar models regionally. We're already in advanced stages of our feasibility studies."

Platform for future collaborations

Issa Al Khoory, deputy CEO of Ghitha Holding, said the integration of all five companies is designed not just for scale, but also for impact. "We're not just building a dairy giant, we’re building a food security champion," Al Khoory said. "We see this platform as one that can host future acquisitions and partnerships in the UAE and abroad.” 

He added that the group is now uniquely positioned to attract international partners in health-focused and innovation-driven categories, such as plant-based foods and smart agriculture. "We have the scale, the data, and the ambition. And most importantly, we have the responsibility to contribute to the UAE’s food resilience."

Safi emphasised that product quality is a key strategic focus for the newly merged group. "We’re raising the bar on quality. We want our customers to trust that every claim on the label is real. That includes better transparency, traceability, and overall integrity in our offerings,” he concluded. 

• Abu Dhabi

Haneen Dajani

haneen@khaleejtimes.com

Haneen Dajani is special correspondent in Abu Dhabi with over 15 years of reporting experience. She’s also a passionate athlete, full Ironman finisher, and mountaineer who loves to embark on unusual challenges.