Middle East & Africa Cookies Market Outlook, 2027

In Middle East & Africa, the cookie market's demand is driven by the demand for convenience and go-to snacks. Frequent product launches with new ingredients and tasty flavours to match changing consumer preferences are enabling the sale of sweet cookies in the Middle East and Africa. With a focus on new product development and marketing communications, the companies are also engaging in various in-store promotions. These in-store promotions are likely to center on money-off promotions, such as extra-value packs or buy one, get one free. Moreover, the expanding popularity of clean-label snack foods is promoting product innovation in the industry. Key brands are using plant-based ingredients in sweet cookies and cookies to tap into a vegan consumer base. For instance, in January 2022, the United Arab Emirates vegan brand Kind Life launched new Pecan Pie Cookie Dough Bites. The brand is known for its delicious and guilt-free vegan cookies. Further, the sweet cookie varieties with labels such as gluten-free, preservative-free, and non-GMO are anticipated to gain significant demand during the forecast period.

According to the report, Middle East and Africa Cookies Market Outlook, 2027 the market stood at more than USD 1.5 Billion in 2021. The region's market growth is being fueled by an emerging class of younger consumers, as well as children and working-class consumers, who regularly consume baked goods, such as sweet cookies, as convenience snacks. Further, food companies are intensively capitalizing on introducing and promoting a range of cookie snacks as on-the-go snacks. Additionally, they emphasize the availability of tiny, practical packets that let customers take cookies in their luggage.

As countries such as Saudi Arabia and South Africa have high obese and diabetic populations, international players such as Kellogg's Arabia, Mars Saudi Arabia, and Nestlé Middle East have signed a voluntary pledge with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) that seeks to reduce sugar, salt, and fat content in their products. For instance, in 2019, Kellogg’s launched a healthier version of Coco Pops cookies, in which sugar, salt, and saturated fats will be slashed by 7%, 26%, and 40%, respectively, across the Middle East region. Therefore, with the help of international players, the healthy/functional cookie industry holds substantial opportunities in the healthy snacking category.

Further, the sales in the segment are driven by the increased consumption of a wide variety of assortments, such as butter-based cookies, chocolate cookies, cream-filled cookies, plain cookies, wafer cookies, artisanal cookies, and egg-based cookies. For instance, in 2020, through a rebranding OOH campaign, Corona, a Royal Chocolate Company, hit the billboards of Cairo, Egypt, with the new packaging design for their cookie Bimbo. Moreover, consumers can easily buy healthy variants of sweet cookies, such as fortified cookies and organic cookies, across online and offline channels, augmenting market growth in the region. Some of the famous supermarkets in the region are Carrefour, Kazyon, Spinneys, and Metro, among others. Because of the presence of numerous regional and international players offering a diverse range of sweet cookie products, the Middle East and Africa Cookies market is highly competitive. Some of the prominent players in the market are Britannia Industries Limited, Gandour, Deemah United Food Industries Corp. Ltd., Tiffany Foods Ltd., and Yildiz Holding Inc., among others. Key companies are adopting strategic approaches such as product launches, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions to maintain their position in the market. For instance, in May 2022, the Azcco Global Group acquired the CRAZE cookie brand, which will be re-launched on the market with more than 40 varieties.

An increase in the adoption of western culture, a rise in the influence of western food habits on the young population, and hectic work schedules are the factors responsible for the surging demand for convenience food in the region. Rapid urbanization, a modern lifestyle, and the increased spending capacity of consumers have changed their shopping habits and buying behaviors. Consumers tend to spend more on convenience food products to minimize the time and effort required for cooking. These factors are anticipated to boost the growth of the frozen bakery products market in the region over the coming years.

Be it Easter or Eid, holidays in the Levantine region of the Middle East are incomplete without a shortbread cookie called maamoul. Stuffed with date paste or chopped walnuts or pistachios and dusted with powdered sugar, these buttery cookies are the perfect reward after a month of fasting during Ramadan or Lent. In Dubai, some of the top spots serving the best cookies include Ben's Cookies, Sugarmoo, Home Bakery, Mélange, Butter Dessert Salon, and Monkey Cookies. Further, some amazing online cookie shops in Dubai include Pisrachoux, Broadway Bakery, and The Silly Goose.

Recent Development

• In April 2022, Flemish cookie maker Lotus invested US$11 million and commenced construction of its third factory in South Africa. Lotus has expanded its production capacity from 1,800 metric tonnes to about 3,100 metric tonnes.
• In March 2022, Yldz Holding expanded its operations, launching the products of the leading Turkish confectionery maker’s cookie brand Ülker in the United Arab Emirates.
• In February 2022, Edita extends its footprint in the filled cookies segment by launching its latest cookie product, Onrio Mini LAVA. The new product is sold under Edita’s Onrio brand at a price of EGP 3 per pack.

Covid-19 Impacts:

In the case of COVID-19, the Middle East and Africa, especially South Africa, witnessed an unprecedented rise in the number of coronavirus cases, which led to the discontinuation of frozen bakery product manufacturing activities. The downfall of other food and beverage producing sectors has subsequently impacted the demand for frozen bakery products during the early months of 2020. Moreover, the decline in overall bakery product production has led to the discontinuation of frozen bakery product manufacturing projects, thereby reducing the demand for frozen bakery products. Similar trends were observed in other Middle East and African countries, such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia. However, the countries are likely to overcome this drop in demand as economic activity resumes, particularly in early 2021.

Major Companies present in the market:

Nestle SA, PepsiCo, Inc., MARS, Mondelez International, Inc., The Kraft Heinz Company (Berkshire Hathway and 3G Capital), General Mills , Grupo Bimbo, Kellog Co., The Ferrero Group, Danone S.A., Barilla G. e R. Fratelli S.p.A, Tiffany (IFFCO), Bahlsen GmbH and Co. KG (The Bahlsen family), United Biscuits (UK) Limited Co. (Pladis global), UNIBIC Foods India Pvt. Ltd.

Considered in this report

• Geography: Middle East & Africa
• Historic year: 2016
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecast year: 2027

Aspects covered in this report

• Middle East & Africa Cookies market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Country-wise cookies market analysis
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

Countries covered in the report

• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa

By Product

• Bar Cookies
• Sandwich Cookies
• Molded Cookies
• Pressed Cookies
• Rolled Cookies
• Others Cookies (Drop Cookies, No-bake Cookies, Refrigerator Cookies, Ice Box Cookies, etc.)

By Packing

• Flexible Packing
• Rigid Packing
• Other Packing

By Distribution Channel

• Hypermarkets/Supermarkets
• Specialty Stores & Retailers
• Online Retailers
• Others

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to Cookies industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.