The client
The client for this project was a prominent investment holding company with a diversified portfolio. They play a strategic role in advancing the region’s long-term economic vision, with interests extending across energy, utilities, transport, logistics, food, and agriculture. Within the food and agriculture verticals, the client manages substantial assets in farming, food processing, and distribution, positioning it as one of the most significant agrifood investors in the Gulf.
They are also responsible for strengthening food security, building resilient supply chains, and fostering sustainable growth in sectors deemed critical to the region’s economic diversification agenda. Its agrifood portfolio includes domestic and international operations, with a presence in primary production, value-added processing, and retail distribution. The scale and breadth of this portfolio provide the client with unique positioning to shape market dynamics in the region’s rapidly evolving food sector.
The problem
The Gulf’s fresh produce market has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by shifting consumer preferences, rapid urbanisation, and ambitious national food security strategies. Its two largest economies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have seen rising demand for leafy greens and specialty produce. For the client, these trends presented both an opportunity and a challenge.
Despite its extensive agrifood portfolio, the client lacked a granular, evidence-based understanding of the fresh produce value chain across Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Market intelligence on demand volumes, growth trajectories, competitive positioning, pricing dynamics, and channel structures was either fragmented or unavailable at the level of detail required to inform investment decisions. The client needed to identify whether the most attractive opportunities lay in expanding domestic production, building their brands, vertical farming, or strategic acquisitions. As part of this, the client also required a comprehensive assessment of the leafy greens and microgreens segments. This included demand forecasting, domestic production capacity analysis, and import dependency mapping. Without this market intelligence, the client risked misallocating resources in a sector where margins are thin, supply chains are complex, and competitive dynamics are shifting rapidly as new entrants reshape the production landscape.
The solution
Farrelly Mitchell was engaged to conduct a multi-phase market assessment of fresh produce within Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The study was designed to provide the client with actionable market intelligence and comprehensive landscape analysis.
The first phase focused on market sizing and demand analysis. Farrelly Mitchell’s team quantified current and projected demand for leafy greens and microgreens in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, drawing on trade data, production statistics, and proprietary industry sources. It sized the leafy greens market, assessed the balance between domestic production and demand, and forecast growth over a five-year horizon.
The second phase involved a detailed competitive landscape assessment. Farrelly Mitchell mapped and evaluated the key players in Saudi Arabia and the UAE fresh produce sectors. This included established and nascent hydroponic producers as well as more conventional producers. The assessment covered production capacity, technology platforms, product ranges, distribution reach, and strategic positioning. Pricing analysis was also conducted across modern retail, traditional retail, and HORECA channels to identify margin structures and competitive positioning.
The third phase provided a value chain and trade flow analysis. The team mapped import dependencies and identified key trade partners. They also assessed the implications of a domestic production strategy. Channel analysis examined the split between packed and loose produce, capturing where substantial value-added opportunities lay.
The final phase focused on target identification and screening. Drawing on the market intelligence gathered in earlier phases, Farrelly Mitchell identified and evaluated potential acquisition and partnership targets aligned with the client’s strategic objectives. Each target was assessed against criteria including production capacity, use of technology, operational capacity, market position, financial performance, and strategic fit with the client’s existing portfolio.
The impact
The market assessment delivered by Farrelly Mitchell provided the client with a comprehensive evidence base on the Gulf region’s fresh produce sector. The study’s findings transformed fragmented market intelligence into a structured, actionable framework that the client could use to prioritise specific investment opportunities.
The demand forecasting and market sizing work gave the client, for the first time, a clear and quantified view of current consumption patterns and growth trajectories across both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It enabled the client to calibrate its production strategy against realistic supply-demand dynamics rather than relying on broad market assumptions.
The competitive landscape analysis proved particularly valuable in informing the client’s positioning strategy. By mapping the capabilities, capacity, and market share of key producers, Farrelly Mitchell enabled the client to identify gaps in the competitive landscape and areas where its existing portfolio could be further leveraged. The pricing analysis across retail and HORECA channels helped refine the client’s understanding of where the greatest opportunities existed and where branding could capture additional market share and add value.
The target identification and screening exercise provided the client with a shortlist of vetted acquisition and partnership opportunities, each evaluated against strategic, operational, and financial criteria. This information accelerated the client’s deal pipeline and reduced the time and cost associated with early-stage target evaluation. The trade flow analysis also highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities and import dependencies that would inform the region’s broader food security strategy and help it align with national objectives.
Taken together, the engagement equipped the client with the market intelligence, competitive insight, and strategic foresight to enhance their capital allocation decisions and enable them to thrive in one of the region’s most dynamic and strategically important food sectors.
Forge ahead with Farrelly Mitchell
At Farrelly Mitchell we deliver rigorous, data-driven market intelligence that supports high-value investment decisions. Our regional expertise and global presence enable us to provide insights that go beyond surface-level market overviews to deliver genuinely actionable strategic guidance.
Our comprehensive suite of advisory services includes market assessment, market entry, due diligence, feasibility studies, and value chain optimisation. To explore how Farrelly Mitchell can support your organisation’s strategic objectives in food and agriculture, contact our team today.
