Abu dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, has introduced the Premium Food Mark for locally produced chilled chicken products during its participation at 'Make it in the Emirates' 2026. This initiative falls under the Healthy Living Strategy and seeks to improve food product quality and safety while enhancing the competitiveness of the food sector in Abu Dhabi and across the United Arab Emirates.
According to Emirates News Agency, the launch of the Premium Food Mark is part of a comprehensive programme to establish an advanced conformity framework for chilled chicken products. This framework is based on precise technical standards that exceed the minimum requirements of UAE standards, ensuring high levels of quality throughout the entire value chain-from poultry farming and feeding to slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution.
The programme incorporates advanced requirements for animal welfare, sustainability, and final product quality, along with a classification system to differentiate products awarded the mark across various quality tiers. This approach is designed to boost consumer confidence and support healthier, safer choices in local markets.
The development of this programme involves collaboration with regulatory entities and the private sector, featuring approved assessment mechanisms and conformity certification processes to ensure ongoing compliance with standards. Additionally, market monitoring and control plans are in place to maintain quality.
Eng. Bader Alshemaili, Executive Director of the Conformity and Standards Sector, noted that the programme signifies a key milestone in advancing food quality standards and underscores Abu Dhabi's commitment to global best practices in the food sector. It aims to enhance consumer confidence, support local products, and encourage the private sector to innovate and improve production quality.
He further mentioned that the programme is instrumental in empowering Abu Dhabi's poultry sector, enhancing food supply chain efficiency, and increasing the economic value of national products, aligning with the country's goals to develop essential sectors and bolster food sustainability.
Dr. Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director of the Healthy Living Sector, stated that the initiative complements cross-sectoral efforts under Abu Dhabi's Healthy Living Strategy, strengthening the food system and providing consumers with clearer information and more choices. By recognizing higher production standards, the premium mark aids informed decision-making and reinforces local resilience, food security, and confidence in high-quality UAE-made products.
Dr. Sayed Essam Al Hashmi, Acting Executive Director of the Development and Innovation Sector at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, highlighted that the Premium Food Mark is a strategic component of the Authority's strategy to bolster Abu Dhabi's status as a leading global hub for food security. The mark serves as a strategic enabler for local poultry producers, founded on rigorous technical standards encompassing animal welfare and sustainability, ensuring high-quality local products that meet consumer expectations and fortify confidence in national produce.
Al Hashmi explained that the initiative reflects a commitment to developing a sustainable and innovative food production system. It is the result of close collaboration between the Authority, the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, and the Healthy Lifestyle Unit, representing an advanced model of joint government action aimed at setting production standards that exceed traditional requirements and substantially enhance the competitiveness of national industries in the marketplace.
He stressed that the programme offers a comprehensive framework for improving performance across the entire food value chain, from farming and feeding practices to slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution. This approach encourages producers to innovate and adopt world-class technologies, contributing to improved efficiency in local production, greater sector sustainability, and a long-term positive economic impact.