Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market: Current Analysis and Forecast (2025-2033)

Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market Size & Forecast

The Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market was valued at USD 5,500 million in 2024 and is expected to grow at a strong CAGR of around 4.50% during the forecast period (2025- 2033F). Rising incomes and a taste for premium treats, and a Deep-rooted gifting culture around festivals and life events are some of the key factors that have supported the market rise.

Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market Analysis

The retail market of the Middle East and Africa food gifting specialty is growing steadily with increased experience, premium, and personalized gifting. The trend toward urbanization, increased disposable income, and the culture of social and religious celebrations are driving demand towards the custom-made hampers, crafted confectionery, gourmet dates, specialty teas, coffees, and healthy snacks. Specialty brands are becoming more visible with organized retail, malls, airports, and modern trade forms, and product standards are being heightened by boutique chocolatiers and patisseries. Foreign companies are coming or increasing in major cities and, in most cases, collaborating with local manufacturers to localize flavors, formats, and packaging. Meanwhile, local brands are professionalizing their business, taking up branding, and using regional products, including dates, nuts, and spices, to distinguish themselves in a fast-growing competitive market.

Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market Trends

This section discusses the key market trends that are influencing the various segments of the Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail market, as found by our team of research experts.

Rising demand for wellness food product gifting:

The specialty food gifting retail sector is being transformed by the health-conscious consumers in the Middle East and Africa. It is observed that urbanite professionals, young families, and those with high incomes are slowly shifting to products that match their lifestyle of maintaining a balanced lifestyle and diet. Retailers are putting together hampers that include sugar-free chocolates, organic dates, protein-enriched snacks, gluten-free cookies, herbal teas, and functional beverages with immunity- or energy-boosting benefits. Clean ingredients and transparency in nutrition information are emerging as important shopping criteria, particularly for digitally savvy consumers who look up products online before giving them as gifts. Corporate consumers are also moving towards wellness-based gift boxes to support employee well-being agendas and brand values. This need is promoting partnership with nutritionists and high-end health products, leading to the creation of guilt-free indulgence. Consequently, wellness-focused gifting is already moving away from being a niche offering to a mainstream developmental pillar in the food gifting specialty station throughout the region.

Key Market Segmentation:

This section provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail market report, along with forecasts at the country and regional levels for 2025-2033.

The Chocolates segment has shown promising growth in the Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market.

The Middle East & Africa Gifting Specialty Retail market is divided into chocolates, sweets and baked goods, snack products, tea and coffee, wellness food, and others, depending on the type of products. Among them, the chocolate category has occupied a significant market share due to its general attractiveness to people of all ages, high connection with luxury and festive gifting, and the broad presence of foreign and local brands. The demand is also supported by constant product innovation in flavors, packages, and formats with seasonal and limited-production collections to celebrate specific festivals like Ramadan and Eid. Besides this, striking gift boxes, customization of gifts, and powerful marketing by international confectionery players strengthen the role of chocolate as the ideal and most desirable food gifting option in the area.

The mid-range category held a significant share of the Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market.

The Middle East and Africa food gifting specialty retail market has been divided into economy, mid-range, premium, and luxury based on price point. Among them, the mid-range category has occupied a large market share, owing to its moderation of prices and apparent quality. The urban centers are seeing a growing demand by consumers for aesthetically packaged, branded gifts that convey thoughtfulness at a not-too-costly price. The mid-range box assortment of chocolates, dates, and snacks is also well received in terms of their frequent visitation to the social setting, office parties, and seasonal gift giving. The firm presence in the supermarkets, malls, and the web also contributes to mid-range volume growth in the region.

Saudi Arabia is expected to grow at a considerable rate during the forecast period.

Saudi Arabia’s food-gifting specialty retail market is changing at a rapid pace, which is necessitated by the increasing disposable incomes, a young population, and a gifting culture that is more than rooted in religious and family events. High-quality collections of chocolates, luxury dates, nuts, Arabic sweets, and health-aware snacks are becoming more popular instead of the generic hampers. The international and homegrown brands are getting increased exposure in modern malls, upscale supermarkets, and airport duty-free outlets. Simultaneously, digital platforms, in particular, social media boutiques and delivery apps, are becoming a key discovery, customization, and last-mile fulfillment during Ramadan, Eid, weddings, and country celebrations. The retailers are differentiating by sophisticated customized packaging, halal and clean-label positioning, and custom corporate gifting. In the future, it is possible that players who integrate good omnichannel with culture-sensitive and high-quality products will gain a competitive advantage in this expanding market within the Kingdom.

Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Industry Competitive Landscape:

The Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail market is competitive, with several global and international market players. The key players are adopting different growth strategies to enhance their market presence, such as partnerships, agreements, collaborations, new product launches, geographical expansions, and mergers and acquisitions.

Top Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Companies

Some of the major players in the market are Patchi, Bateel, Al Rifai, Neuhaus, Jomara, Godiva, Al Nassma, Forrey & Galland, Mirzam, and Hallab 1881.

Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market Report Coverage

Reasons to Buy the Middle East & Africa Food Gifting Specialty Retail Market Report:

• The study includes market sizing and forecasting analysis confirmed by authenticated key industry experts.

• The report briefly reviews overall industry performance at a glance.

• The report covers an in-depth analysis of prominent industry peers, primarily focusing on key business financials, type portfolios, expansion strategies, and recent developments.

• Detailed examination of drivers, restraints, key trends, and opportunities prevailing in the industry.

• The study comprehensively covers the market across different segments.

• Deep dive Country-level analysis of the industry.

Customization Options:

The Middle East & Africa FOOD GIFTING SPECIALTY RETAIL market can further be customized as per requirements or any other market segment. Besides this, UnivDatos understands that you may have your own business needs; hence, feel free to contact us to get a report that completely suits your requirements.