Dubai Industrial City (DI), one of the region’s largest manufacturing and logistics hubs, announced that WenChao Group is investing more than AED735 million ($200 million) to construct a world-class food manufacturing and distribution facility in the business district.

The new agreement was signed at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) held last month.

Founded in Dubai in 2006, WenChao Group has a diverse portfolio which also includes a retail group integrating e-commerce logistics, chain hypermarket ‘Wemart’ and food processing. The organisation has also founded a number of F&B brands, including YaoYi Tea and Tasty Yue, and boasts a global trade network covering nearly 20 countries.

The first phase of the WenChao Logistics Hub Dubai is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2022, comprising an integrated warehouse, distribution centre, food processing and manufacturing plant for semi-cooked and braised food. The over 950,000 sq ft factory will incorporate the latest technology to support a predicted food production turnover worth up to AED500 million annually. 

Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, Managing Director of Industrial City, said: “We are honoured to welcome WenChao Group into our ecosystem. For well over a decade, they have demonstrated tremendous innovation and growth with their production and storage activities, as well as e-commerce logistics.”

Jiansheng Sun, Chairman of WenChao Group, said: “We are excited to set up our logistic hub in Dubai Industrial City, the first significant milestone of our strategic cooperation. We look forward to creating new engines of opportunity for growth and innovation, building on Dubai’s leading position as a hub for innovation. The new world-class logistics and food production facility in Dubai Industrial City will place us in a strong position to manufacture, store and distribute food efficiently while contributing to the local economy.”