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Jafza, STAR-K to promote kosher-certified food production in Dubai

Dubai - Kosher is used to describe food that complies with the strict dietary standards of traditional Jewish law.

DP World, UAE Region’s flagship free zone, Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UAE-based STAR-K Kosher Certification to educate its partners in the food and agricultural commodities sector about kosher certification, aiding them to get certified as kosher.

Also read: Abu Dhabi to facilitate serving of kosher food at eateries

Kosher is a term used to describe food that complies with the strict dietary standards of traditional Jewish law.

The MoU was signed by Ahmad Al Haddad, Chief Operating Officer, Parks and Zones, DP World, UAE Region; and Rabbi Ahron Haskel, President of STAR-K Kosher Certification in the Middle East, Europe and Africa, in the presence of Rabbi Yanki Hoffman, Vice President of STAR-K Kosher Certification in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Al Haddad said, "The UAE is a melting pot of cultures. The country is home to people from various countries and is accepting of traditions from varied cultures. With the recent developments between the UAE and Israel, we expect the demand for kosher food to be on the rise. We are delighted to team up with STAR-K Kosher Certification.

"Through this partnership, we hope to utilise their expertise from time to time by hosting digital and physical seminars for our clients. With this endeavour, we hope to enlighten our partners in the free zone about the benefits of getting a kosher certification."

Haskel said, "It is important, especially now, in light of the Israel-UAE peace agreement, to make entities in the food industry aware of the added value of kosher-certified products not only for the Jewish community here, but also for anyone looking for healthy and halal-compliant options."

With smart services like Dubai Trade’s "E-Delivery Order" that allows supply chain stakeholders to handle their complex import processes to ZADI, an innovative unified food import platform aimed at facilitating the import and re-export of food shipments throughout Dubai ports, Jafza has made it easier for investors and business owners in times of the pandemic by minimising the need for manual transactions and personal visits.

Jafza has a dedicated food and agriculture cluster of 1.57 million square metres with over 550 companies.