The Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) has secured another vote of confidence in its growing status as a Middle Eastern trade gateway, with Japanese premium food and confectionery producer Grape Tree announcing a significant expansion of its operations.
The company, which established its regional headquarters in SAIF Zone last year 2024, has now opened a 4,500-square-foot distribution centre that will serve as its strategic hub for GCC and Middle Eastern markets. The move comes as regional demand for specialty food products continues to surge.
The facility was officially opened by His Excellency Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of SAIF Zone, alongside with Mr. Masyasu Moto Chairman of ‘Grape Tree’. Al Mazrouei toured the warehouse with senior SAIF Zone officials, inspecting its advanced storage and distribution technologies designed to enhance operational efficiency and safeguard product quality.
He was also briefed about the centre’s logistical capacity to support the company’s growth in local and international markets, as well as its adoption of innovative production methods, including water-jet cutting technology for customised cake mould designs.
Grape Tree is the regional arm of Japan’s BudoonoMori, Established in Kanazawa in 1982, changed company name from ‘Budoonoki Co., Ltd.’ in 2025, with decades of expertise in the high-end food and confectionery sector. The company achieves annual sales of nearly four million units of its signature product, Katanuki Baum(Cut Out Cake), in the Japanese market and employs over 350 staff, serving a broad spectrum of industries, including food production, retail, hospitality, and event organisation.
Ideal investment environment
His Excellency Al Mazrouei emphasized that SAIF Zone is committed to providing an ideal base for leading international companies and high-value industries that can contribute significantly to Sharjah’s diversified economic growth.
“We will spare no effort to offer all forms of support to investors following the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to enhance the emirate’s reputation as a global destination for business and investment.”
His Excellency added that SAIF Zone attaches utmost importance to developing a fully integrated investment environment and advanced infrastructure, enabling companies to grow, expand, and focus on achieving their business objectives efficiently.
He noted that Grape Tree’s decision to expand and establish a modern warehouse in the Free Zone as a base for its regional exports, along with its future expansion plans, showcases the strong confidence that international companies place in Sharjah’s business and investment climate. This, he added, reflects the rising appeal of free zones as strategic hubs for growth across multiple sectors.
Competitive advantages
For his part, Abdulaziz Halife, Managing Director, Grape Tree FZE the UAE, stated that the competitive advantages offered by SAIF Zone align closely with the company’s expansion strategy, particularly its prime location, advanced logistics infrastructure, and supportive investment policies.
He noted that ‘Grape Tree’ brings extensive expertise in the luxury food and confectionery industry, known for its unique innovations blending Japanese culinary craftsmanship with modern design. The company employs advanced production techniques, including Cut Out Cake with customised interiors created using water-jet cutting technology.
In addition, the company has developed a new product for the UAE luxury souvenir market: gold leaf chocolate. Using a special Japanese technique to print on the surface of the gold leaf, this product offers a truly luxurious and unique experience.
Through its UAE expansion, the company aims to strengthen its presence in regional markets by delivering high-quality, creatively designed products inspired by Japanese culture, while continuing sustained growth.
Halife added that Grape Tree business encompasses restaurants, retail stores, grape farming, drink manufacturing, sweets production, and wedding halls. This diversity reflects the company’s adaptability and capacity to meet the needs of multiple markets.
Sustained growth
The UAE and wider Gulf confectionery and food sector continues to record sustained growth, driven by rising consumer demand for premium and innovative products. The UAE’s food market reached AED 146 billion in 2025, with an expected annual growth rate of 5.3% between 2025 and 2030, according to a recent study by Statista, a global data and business intelligence platform.
SAIF Zone stands out as a premier investment destination in the emirate, offering competitive opportunities, world-class services, and advanced infrastructure tailored to support companies across commercial, industrial, and service sectors. It provides streamlined customs facilities, rapid licensing, immediate shipping and customs clearance services, along with other solutions that foster a fully integrated business environment, empowering investors in diverse industries to thrive.
