Qatar’s food services sector is expected to perform “exceptionally well” with Doha’s casual dining scene gaining prominence in a highly competitive market, Al Masah Capital has said and noted the GCC’s foodservice market will top $29bn by 2020.
The GCC foodservice market is now firmly placed on a growth trajectory with its value expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% Al Masah Capital said. The market totalled $21.5bn last year.
The GCC food services sector is headed for further growth with key indicators such as a growing population and tourism sector, disposable income, and changing dietary habits continuing to shore up demand for food and dining options despite sluggish economic condition, the report said.
This growth, the report indicates, will largely be driven by a ballooning middle-class and increased penetration by international and local retail outlets across the GCC region.
Moreover, with the region’s overall food consumption expected to have reached 48.1mn tonnes in 2016, up from 45.8mn tonnes in 2014, fuelled by an expanding consumer base, the GCC is now on course towards building a strong brand identity in the food services space and is likely to continue strengthening its foothold in coming years.
The GCC market is expected to grow substantially year-on-year mainly due to the rapid expansion by homegrown brands that, among other things, are also eyeing the 25mn tourists expected to flock the much-awaited Dubai Expo 2020.
This growth will also be supported by the regional private equity players who, despite economic slowdown, have clearly preferred to rebalance their portfolios by increasing their investment focus in the food services sector amid rising volatility and decline in oil prices since 2014.
The report further indicates that the fast food segment grew by 7.4% and is further expected to continue its dominance in the market followed by the full service restaurant segment, which grew by six percent CAGR.
Cafes and bakery segments, whose sales remained relatively subdued, with a CAGR of 7.5% between 2012 and 2016, are also expected to grow at around 3% CAGR to reach $2.75bn by 2020.
A resilient economy weakened by a drop in oil prices and later supported and revived by a diversification strategy has also been largely responsible for growth within the food services sector.
GCC’s GDP growth, which is estimated to reach $1.9tn by 2021, from $1.35tn in 2016, has led to higher personal income levels thus supporting the market for food service providers in the region.
According to the report, trends that are likely to accelerate the food service sector growth include a rise in demand for healthy and organic food. This is mainly due to a rising incidence of lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes and obesity in the GCC as well as increased media and government attention on health issues.
“More players are now increasingly expanding their menus to also include healthier food options to cater to this expanding niche segment and thus widening their revenue base as they seek to attract and grow customer numbers,” Al Masah Capital said.
Gulf Times
04 October
