Kuwait

In February 2025, Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs introduced new regulations aimed at actively supporting local agriculture:

• At least 75% of agricultural products sold in the Cooperative Societies must come from local production.
• These purchases must take place through daily auctions at official sales points, with transparent processing via digital invoices.
• 30% of retail space must be reserved for local products. Clear price labeling is required, and profit margins are capped at a maximum of 20%.
• To minimize losses, a maximum of 5% of the goods’ value per week may be written off.

A dedicated committee monitors the implementation of these measures and issues regular reports on their efficiency and market impact. The goal is to strengthen local supply chains, improve sales opportunities for farmers, and reduce dependence on imports.

Kuwait’s food and beverage market is among the most dynamic in the region.

• With over 12,000 restaurants, including 5,500 dessert shops and 3,000 cafés and a highly outgoing population, per capita spending in the hospitality sector is remarkably high.
• Local brands such as Shrimpy and Gia are gaining regional relevance and successfully exporting their concepts.
• At the same time, the country is experiencing a continued trend toward healthy and sustainable eating, with vegetarian and vegan offerings seeing strong growth.
• Digitalization is well advanced: around 74% of consumers use apps to place orders, and over 43% pay digitally.

These developments create an attractive environment for international companies offering innovative, high-quality, or specialized products and services in the F&B sector.