Arla Foods, a leading international dairy company, has introduced its range of Baby&Me Organic milk supplements and other food products to the UAE market, at an event held yesterday (February 19) in Dubai, UAE.

The multinational cooperative’s experience in infant nutrition dates back three decades, with Arla producing, supplying and developing infant formulas for the world’s leading infant milk formula (IMF) brands throughout that time, while its milk production history spans more than 130 years, said a statement.

Recent report from Fortune Business Insights revealed that global infant formula market size was valued at $45.12 billion in 2018 to reach $103.75 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.85 per cent during the period.

The products unveiled at the launch included: Mom Formula – for expecting mothers; Infant Milk Formulas; Multi-grain porridges – four months and above; Fruit and vegetable porridges/pouches  - six months and above, said a statement from the company.

Rasmus Malmbak Kjeldsen, senior vice president of Arla Foods Middle East and North Africa, said: “The Middle East region has seen a significant rise in demand for organic products and retailers have in turn demonstrated a growing interest in stocking organic baby produce.”

“As one of the world’s leading producers of organic dairy products, we are delighted to bring to the UAE Arla Baby&Me Organic’s range of products and serve the needs of discerning parents seeking for quality choice of baby milk supplements,” he said.

Kjeldsen said: “For milk to be labelled as organic, the farms must meet standards set by EU law on animal welfare, caring for wildlife, sustainability and production quality. This includes being free from preventative antibiotics and artificial hormones used to increase the milk production of cows, ensuring cows are fed a 100 per cent organic diet, prohibiting the use of pesticides or artificial fertilizers on all feed crop, and making sure cows graze at least six hours per day from April to November.”

“Essentially, we at Arla recognise that safety, trust and consistent high quality are vital to consumers. In line with this, we can trace the milk back to the individual farm, establish the cause of any problems and act accordingly, prevent and correct, and guarantee transparency throughout our entire value chain,” he added.

Hassan Naja, head of Arla Child Nutrition, Mena, said: “Today, we are taking forward Arla’s decades of expertise in infant nutrition, into homes in the Middle East. Our pure Arla Baby&Me Organic Milk Formula is not only for babies, it’s also for pregnant women, providing inner strength to ensure a healthy and happy motherhood.”

“We are not just aiming to deliver organic mother and infant milk formulas and weaning food products to a new region, our mission is to provide a 100 per cent organic, natural foundation for the next generation’s all-round development for a stronger future,” he added.

Ron Pilnik, CEO of Emirates Snack Foods, said: “We are proud to be a partner of Arla in its foray to introduce organic baby food in the UAE market. It is a timely move as there is a growing number of families shifting to organic food in the UAE and Arla’s reputation for providing high quality products that meet international standards testing and certification would serve their needs.”

“We are delighted for the successful launch of Arla Baby&Me Organic in UAE and we are confident that the brand will gain a strong following,” he said.

Arla’s Baby&Me Organic has also successfully launched in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as part of the company’s rigorous efforts to increase brand presence across the region, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service