Al Ain Farms and FoodIQ Roll Out Innovative Food-Tech in UAE

Malaz Madani

Last updated 16-06-2025

3 min

Al Ain Farms Group and Finland's FoodIQ form a pioneering food-tech partnership in the UAE.

The Multi-Layer Cooker (MLC) technology revolutionises dairy and plant-based food production.

This eco-friendly innovation supports sustainability by reducing water, energy, and waste.

The collaboration aligns with UAE’s goals for healthier food options and food security.

New product lines are expected within six months, showcasing rapid tech integration.

I'm constantly amazed by how quickly the UAE is leaping ahead with food-tech, and here's another cracker of a collaboration for you. Al Ain Farms Group (AAFG), the UAE’s leading producer of proteins and beverages, has teamed up with Finland's FoodIQ to launch a first-of-its-kind food-tech partnership in the MENA. And believe it or not, the UAE is only the second nation, right after Finland itself, to roll out this technology industrially.

Dubbed the Multi-Layer Cooker—or MLC for short—this tech is set to transform the production of dairy- and plant-based foods here. It's the brainchild of Finnish firm FoodIQ, known for their innovation in flexible, clean-label food manufacturing. What sets this technology apart is its ability to rapidly shift between different recipes—think yoghurts, cheese, plant-based beverages, protein smoothies, without losing any nutritional qualities. On top of that, it ticks all the boxes when it comes to being enviromentally friendly too, seriously cutting back on water, energy, and waste. Now that's spot on!

The official signing ceremony took place at Marmum Dairy's facilities in Al Ain, marking one of the first big public outings of the recently formed AAFG. Senior execs from both AAFG and FoodIQ were there, joined by officials from Business Finland—a real statement of the deepening ties between the UAE and Finland.

AAFG's Group CEO, Hassan Safi, didn't mince his words about it either. He highlighted how this move puts the UAE firmly on the map for adopting cutting-edge food-tech, allowing quicker response to growing consumer demands for natural, healthier options. Frankly speaking, I'm chuffed to bits about it—not just because localisation means fresher products, but also because it pushes the region closer towards sustainability goals.

Robert Savikko, CEO of FoodIQ, echoed Safi's sentiments, saying the collaboration was about more than just new machines. It's about setting a new benchmark in clean-label, sustainable food production. Within roughly six months, three new product ranges are anticipated, with more lines introduced further down the road. No faffing about, clearly they're not wasting any time!

As someone who's been following MENA entrepreneurship for Arageek pretty closely, I reckon partnerships like these are critical—not just in pushing fancy new tech, but genuinely supporting the UAE’s Food Security Strategy 2051 and goals like Net Zero 2050. It makes perfect sense, especially in a region that's pushing hard to become less reliant on imports and more resilient in its own food production. And from an entrepreneurship perspective, initiatives like this send the right signals to the startup ecosystem, showing innovation isn't just encouraged, it's deeply embedded into the strategy.

So all in all, this seems like a tech that's come just at the right time, providing tangible benefits for producers and consumers alike. And knowing Al Ain Farms' record of swiftly delivering locally-produced fresh and healthy products to the market, I'd say they're perfectly positioned to make the most of this new partnership.

Exciting times, eh? Let's see how this plays out—hopefully this'll trigger a ripple efect in the region's food industry landscape too!

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