Italian Dairy Products expands UAE cheese factory

By Jim Cornall

- Last updated on GMT

The new factory is now one of the largest Italian dairy factories in the UAE. Pic: Getty Images/acqua_tranquilla
The new factory is now one of the largest Italian dairy factories in the UAE. Pic: Getty Images/acqua_tranquilla

Related tags Italy mozzarella Uae Cheese Dairy

The Italian Dairy Products factory, headquartered at Sharjah Food Park, in the United Arab Emirates, has doubled the total size of its factory to 26,000 square-feet, with an eye on expansion in the UAE and Gulf markets.

The new factory is now one of the largest Italian dairy factories in the UAE.

Italian Dairy Products factory is one of the UAE’s largest factories for producing Italian cheese, using cow’s milk from UAE farms. The factory uses 4,800 tons of milk annually to produce about 500 tons of fresh Italian cheese such as mozzarella, burrata and scamorza, and ricotta.

The Sharjah Food Park is located in the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA).

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, director of the HFZA, said, “We’ve come here today to acknowledge a great experience for a factory that succeeded for over a decade to cater to the needs of the Emirati market from fresh Italian cheese made with fresh Emirati milk. Indeed, it’s a world-class product made with pride in the UAE.”

The HFZA director said the success of the Italian Dairy Products factory in providing the Emirati and Gulf markets with fresh cheese reflects HFZA’s global position as a location for leading food companies in the region.

He said food security and self-sufficiency in basic commodities are an essential pillar in HFZA’s plan, in addition to paving the way for a business-stimulating environment and providing infrastructure to make it easier for companies to promote their businesses and enhance their performance.

Leo Condemi, general manager of Italian Dairy Products, said, "Having witnessed the increasing demand for products made with high-quality local ingredients mixed with innovative Italian expertise, we made the decision to double up the factory area to meet such demands."

Condemi said the strategic location of HFZA that connects three continents represents a competitive edge for factories, especially in the food industry, which requires fast and efficient logistical capabilities.

"It was such a perfect choice to take HFZA as our headquarters in the region to be able to expand our businesses and penetrate other Gulf markets. This new expansion will help us boost our production capacity and operational capability to meet the needs of the local market and other emerging markets according to our developmental plans,"​ Condemi said.

Sharjah Food Park is the region’s first and largest dedicated facility for food industries, covering a total area of 11m square meters, for importing, exporting, holding, and re-packaging foodstuff destined for countries around the world.

Related topics Manufacturers Cheese Emerging Markets