Nestlé UAE Signs Mou With Emirates Foundation To Advance National Food Waste Reduction Strategy

(MENAFN- Mid-East Info)

• The partnership under the ne'ma initiative strengthens efforts to build a more resilient and resource-conscious food ecosystem.

Nestlé UAE has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates Foundation to support ne'ma, the UAE's national initiative to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, during the Future Food Forum 2025. This collaboration supports the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and contributes to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to halve food loss and waste by the end of the decade.

The MoU formalizes Nestlé's contribution to the UAE Food Loss and Waste Baseline Study, led by Emirates Foundation under the ne'ma initiative. Nestlé will provide operational data, industry insights, and collaborative support to help establish national indicators and drive systemic change across the food value chain, including through ne'ma's Zero Food Waste Framework.

This partnership builds on Nestlé's long-standing commitment to sustainability and its economic and social impact in the UAE. Nestlé's collaboration with Emirates Foundation under ne'ma will also support public awareness campaigns, youth engagement programs, seasonal food rescue efforts such as those during Ramadan,and the development of scalable solutions to reduce food waste in manufacturing and distribution.

Hassan Atia, General Manager at Nestlé UAE, said:“This collaboration reflects our commitment to responsible consumption and aligns with our broader impact in the UAE across the entire value chain - supporting over 7,200 jobs, contributing AED 4.8 billion in gross value to the economy, and driving innovation across our operations.”

Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer at Emirates Foundation and Secretary General of the ne'ma Steering Committee, added:“The MOU with Nestlé UAE demonstrates how the private sector can harness its capabilities and innovation to transform the challenge of food loss and waste into opportunities for growth and impact.”

The Future Food Forum 2025 is a platform convening industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to shape the future of food in the region. The partnership between Nestlé UAE and Emirates Foundation reflects the Forum's core mission: to accelerate sustainable food systems, foster innovation, and align industry action with national priorities.

About Nestlé in the UAE:

Nestlé's regional office for the Middle East and North Africa is based in Dubai South, and the company operates across the Emirates with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah. Nestlé works with more than 850 customers in the UAE and more than 1,700 retail outlets in the country, including supermarkets and pharmacies. The company locally produces confectionary, dairy, culinary, and coffee, at two food and beverages factories in Dubai and operates two water manufacturing sites, one in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. Nestlé employs more than 1,300 people from different parts of the world, while providing indirect employment to hundreds more.

About Ne'ma:

ne'ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, is a response to the call to action by the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to reduce food waste, encourage individual and social responsibility, and promote sustainable practices across the food value chain. Established in 2022, ne'ma aims to address overproduction and overconsumption and build new standards that can contribute to the reduction of food loss and food waste, reconnecting with the country's deep-rooted traditional values of social responsibility and mindful stewardship of national resources.

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