Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Camel milk has long flowed through the UAE's heritage. More than just a symbol of tradition, today it is a locally produced ingredient supporting innovation, food resilience and the country's growing food industry.
UAE-based nutrition brands are finding new ways to bring camel milk into everyday diets, creating products that appeal to modern consumers. Camel dairy is increasingly being positioned as a practical part of daily nutrition and a contributor to the UAE's long-term food system.
"Local food innovation has a vital role to play in strengthening the resilience of the UAE's food system," Hesham Yehia, Acting CEO of Camelicious, told Aletihad.
Yehia stressed that it is not only about producing more food locally, but about providing products that encourage consumers to choose locally produced alternatives and reducing reliance on imported options.
Innovation, he said, allows ingredients that are already part of the UAE's agricultural landscape to be transformed into products that meet today's expectations for convenience, nutrition and taste.
"By transforming a uniquely UAE agricultural resource into products that compete with traditional dairy, we support sustainable farming, strengthen local manufacturing, expand consumer choice and contribute to the nation's long-term food security and economic resilience," Yehia explained.
He emphasised that traditional ingredients only realise their full potential when innovation makes them relevant to modern lifestyles and commercially viable in the food and beverage industry.
According to Yehia, Camelicious is expanding camel milk beyond dairy products through camel milk powder that can be used by manufacturers across a wider range of locally produced food and beverage products.
"Every successful innovation creates new demand for locally produced camel milk, supporting farmers, manufacturers and the wider supply chain while reducing dependence on imported alternatives," he said.
He described camel dairy as an example of how traditional agriculture can evolve into a modern industry.
As investment continues in farming technology, research and product development, Yehia believes camel dairy will play a growing role in both domestic food production and international exports, strengthening the UAE's agricultural future while enhancing its reputation as a global leader in camel dairy innovation.
"From a food security perspective, locally produced camel milk supports greater self-sufficiency while offering consumers high-quality dairy products produced entirely within the UAE," Yehia noted.
Rashid Gargash, founder of Rashtions, aims to preserve Emirati traditions while producing nutritious new food products at the same time.
"I wanted to understand how we could help feed people using ingredients naturally connected to the UAE, particularly dates and camel milk, all while preserving Emirati traditions," Gargash told Aletihad.
Much like Yehia, Gargash believes authenticity comes not only from using Emirati ingredients, but from innovating around them, which strengthens food resilience in the country.
"Rather than relying solely on imported ingredients, we should continue exploring how locally available foods can be transformed into practical, nutritious products that are relevant to modern lifestyles," he said, noting that traditional ingredients already play an important role in the UAE's food system.
He indicated that camel protein has the potential to become a distinctive UAE product and ingredient that is difficult to replicate elsewhere in the world.
"By investing in food science and value-added processing, the UAE can continue building a food industry that is both globally competitive and rooted in its own agricultural strengths," Gargash said.
Both Yehia and Gargash pointed out how consumer demand has shifted, as people increasingly seek natural ingredients, higher protein content and products that still taste good.
Yehia noted that by creating products that fit modern lifestyles, a new generation of consumers is introduced to one of the UAE's most distinctive local ingredients and therefore helps build long-term demand for camel dairy.
Earlier this year, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) approved the proposal submitted by the UAE to develop the first international standard for pasteurised camel milk.
According to ADAFSA, the UAE already produces over 7,000 tonnes of pasteurised camel milk annually, meeting local demand, and exporting to global markets including the European Union, China and the United States.
