Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has launched a strategic collaboration with New Agrarian Company Limited to explore the development of a large-scale, multi-tenant protein fermentation centre in Abu Dhabi. Revealed during the Protein Alternative (PALT) platform at Global Food Week, the project reinforces Abu Dhabi’s commitment to building a globally competitive food economy driven by innovation and sustainability.
The collaboration supports the emirate’s AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster, which aims to generate AED90 billion in GDP impact by 2045. The proposed facility will enable the industrial-scale production of alternative proteins through protein fermentation, advancing the development of next-generation foods.
Headquartered in the UK, New Agrarian is an active investor and developer focused exclusively on modern clean food companies. New Agrarian plans to establish and lead the funding for a project company in Abu Dhabi, which will serve as a hub for a consortium of international protein fermentation companies, supporting the manufacturing, commercialisation and export of alternative proteins to global markets.
His Excellency Badr Al-Olama, Director General, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), said: “Abu Dhabi is laying the groundwork for a self-sustaining food sector built on science and scale. Our collaboration with New Agrarian marks a bold step towards building an entire industrial base around sustainable protein. In anchoring protein fermentation as a core industrial strength, we are linking research, production and export under the AGWA cluster, creating the foundations for scale, trust and long-term resilience.”
The centre is expected to contribute to GDP growth, attract foreign direct investment and create specialised jobs in food science, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing. The collaboration will also explore regulatory harmonisation for protein fermentation, including food safety and Halal certification frameworks.
Jim Mellon, Chair of New Agrarian Company Limited, said: “We are proud to partner with ADIO to bring our expertise in protein fermentation to the Middle East. Abu Dhabi offers the stability, infrastructure and connectivity needed to build a future-proof food production platform. This project is not only about technology and exports, but also about fostering a wider ecosystem of sustainable growth and knowledge exchange.”
The collaboration supports the UAE’s food security objectives and leverages the country’s network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA), providing access to more than 2.5 billion consumers across Asia, Africa and Europe. The announcement underscores Abu Dhabi’s ambition to lead global dialogue and industrial development in alternative proteins, food sustainability and water innovation.
