Abu Dhabi: Sadia Halal has received the Champion Award in the Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance category at the UAE Food Cluster’s Champion Awards 2026, recognising the standards maintained at its manufacturing facility in KEZAD, Abu Dhabi. The award highlights the company’s focus on food safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance across its regional manufacturing operations.
The award was presented during the Future Food Forum in Dubai on 29 September 2026, bringing together government representatives, food-sector leaders and industry stakeholders. The recognition followed a comprehensive assessment process that included a technical evaluation, a site visit by the Cluster Assessment Team and a review by an expert jury.
Sadia Halal’s achievement reflects the importance of robust food safety systems and consistent regulatory compliance in food manufacturing. The company’s KEZAD facility was recognised for its operational practices, verified technological capabilities and measurable outcomes that support food safety standards in the UAE.
Sadia Halal’s KEZAD Facility Recognised for Food Safety Excellence
The Champion Award acknowledges Sadia Halal’s approach to maintaining food safety and regulatory compliance at its manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi. As one of the company’s key manufacturing operations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, the KEZAD facility plays an important role in its regional footprint.
Food manufacturing requires consistent attention to quality assurance, production processes and regulatory requirements. Maintaining these standards involves more than meeting individual compliance obligations; it also requires established procedures, operational discipline and a commitment to continuous improvement.
The UAE Food Cluster’s Champion Awards recognise organisations that demonstrate excellence and measurable impact across the country’s food ecosystem. Within this framework, the Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance category focuses on practices related to food safety systems, quality assurance, compliance leadership and consumer trust.
For Sadia Halal, the recognition highlights the systems and practices embedded in its KEZAD operations. It also reinforces the company’s stated commitment to maintaining food safety and quality standards across its regional manufacturing facilities.
The award followed an assessment process designed to evaluate the facility’s practices and performance against the category’s requirements.
Comprehensive Assessment and Jury Evaluation
The selection process involved several stages, allowing Sadia Halal to demonstrate the operational systems and practices used at its KEZAD facility.
The Cluster Assessment Team visited the factory to evaluate its operations and review the processes supporting food safety and regulatory compliance. The site validation provided an opportunity for the company to demonstrate the systems, technologies and practices implemented across the facility.
Following the assessment, the facility’s achievements and initiatives were presented to a jury comprising representatives from key UAE government authorities.
These included the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT), the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA).
The involvement of these authorities brought together perspectives from industry, environmental policy, public health and food safety regulation. The assessment process included a technical evaluation, site validation and jury review, with the final recognition reflecting the facility’s performance in the Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance category.
Sadia Halal had entered the awards in two categories: Sustainability & Environmental Impact and Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance. The company ultimately secured the Champion Award in the latter category.
This outcome places the KEZAD facility among the organisations recognised for their contribution to food safety and compliance practices within the UAE food sector.
Fabio Mariano Highlights the Importance of Food Safety
Fabio Mariano, MBRF’s Vice President responsible for the Halal Market and CEO of Sadia Halal, said the award reflects the standards and processes established by the company’s teams.
He emphasised that food safety and quality are fundamental to the trust consumers place in Sadia Halal. According to Mariano, the recognition of the KEZAD facility as a Food Cluster Champion demonstrates the importance of rigorous standards, robust operational processes and a culture of continuous improvement.
He also credited the people responsible for maintaining these standards, highlighting the discipline required throughout the production process.
Food safety depends on consistent practices across manufacturing operations. Procedures must be applied at every relevant stage, supported by quality assurance and compliance measures that help maintain the integrity of food products.
Mariano’s comments underline the contribution of employees and operational teams to maintaining these requirements. While the award recognises the facility, its standards depend on the people responsible for implementing processes and sustaining performance.
The recognition therefore serves as an acknowledgement of both the facility’s systems and the commitment of the teams working within it.
UAE Food Cluster Champion Awards Recognise Industry Leadership
The UAE Food Cluster’s Champion Awards recognise organisations that demonstrate excellence and measurable impact across the country’s food ecosystem.
The awards provide a platform for acknowledging industry practices that support the development of the UAE’s food sector. Categories such as Sustainability & Environmental Impact and Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance address different aspects of responsible food manufacturing and operations.
The Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance category places particular emphasis on food safety systems, quality assurance, compliance leadership and trust. These areas are central to maintaining confidence in food production and ensuring that manufacturing operations follow applicable requirements.
Sadia Halal’s achievement in this category highlights the role of facility-level processes in meeting those expectations. The assessment of its KEZAD operation also demonstrates how technical evaluation and site validation contribute to the recognition process.
The awards ceremony at the Future Food Forum brought together representatives from government and industry, providing a setting to recognise organisations contributing to the UAE’s food ecosystem.
For participating companies, such recognition can also highlight the operational practices and standards that support their broader business objectives.
Strengthening Sadia Halal’s Commitment to Quality
The Champion Award adds to Sadia Halal’s efforts to reinforce food safety and quality across its manufacturing operations in the GCC region. By recognising the KEZAD facility, the award highlights the company’s focus on regulatory compliance and the systems supporting its production activities.
Maintaining food safety standards remains an important responsibility for food manufacturers, requiring attention to processes, quality assurance and applicable regulations. Recognition in this area reflects the significance of consistent implementation and operational discipline.
The award also underscores the contribution of the KEZAD team, whose work supports the standards demonstrated during the assessment
