Morocco ranks among the top five Arab countries attracting foreign investment in the food and beverage sector.
This was noted in the sector report for 2025 issued by the Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation, which positioned the kingdom alongside Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar as main hubs for attracting investments in this vital sector.
The report highlighted a clear geographic concentration of investments, with these five countries accounting for the largest share of projects, totaling 421 foreign investment projects, which is equivalent to 82 percent of the total projects recorded in the Arab world during the reporting period.
This concentration is not limited to the number of projects; it extends to financial value and job creation as well, with investments in these countries exceeding $17 billion, capturing about 79 percent of the total capital invested in the sector, and contributing to the creation of approximately 71,000 jobs, representing 76 percent of all newly created positions.
Over an analytical review spanning 22 years, the report indicated that the Arab world attracted a total of 516 foreign direct investment projects in the food industry, with an overall value approaching $22 billion, which facilitated nearly 93,000 job opportunities.
The report attributed this disparity in the distribution of investments to a limited number of Arab countries possessing structural and competitive advantages, such as a growing domestic demand and a developed industrial base, along with logistical capabilities and infrastructure that support supply and export chains.
In terms of capital sources, the United States topped the list of foreign investors in the food and beverage sector in the region, with American companies recording 74 projects, accounting for 14 percent of the total, with investments nearing $4 billion, which contributed to creating more than 14,000 job opportunities. Additionally, the top ten investing countries collectively acquired about one-third of the total investments.
Regarding global companies, the Swiss group Nestlé led in terms of the number of implemented projects, while the Ukrainian company Nibulon emerged as the largest investor based on the financial value of projects and the number of jobs created.
The report also shed light on the growing intra-Arab investments in this sector, with 12 Arab countries contributing to launching 108 projects within the region, representing 21 percent of the total, with investments amounting to $6.5 billion, creating around 28,000 job opportunities.
In this context, the United Arab Emirates topped intra-Arab investments, holding 45 percent of the projects and 58 percent of the invested Arab capital in the sector, further strengthening its position as a regional financial and investment hub.
The Guarantee report concluded its assessment based on the indicators of Fitch Ratings for 2024, which ranked the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar among the most attractive Arab markets, followed by a group including Morocco, Oman, Bahrain, Algeria, and Kuwait, highlighting the intensity of regional competition and the necessity for the kingdom to continue enhancing its business climate to maintain its advanced position.
