A booming food sector is set to create opportunities for recruiters in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) jobs market, according to Dulsco HR Solutions

Recent figures from the Dubai World Trade Centre reveals there are at least 150 food processing plants in the United Arab Emirates, while its government has invested $1.4bn (£0.88bn) in the sector.

Dulsco says that an influx of international fast-food chains are moving away from recession-hit markets into high-growth destinations such as the GCC region, which include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, further strengthening the food sector.

“The halal food market is another key growth area for specialised manpower services. With increasing demand from 1.8bn Muslims worldwide, UAE companies are now positioning themselves as major suppliers of the halal food industry, which has been estimated to generate between $632bn and $2.1trillion.

“The food sector is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing industries in the UAE and the rest of the GCC. It is also one of the most HR-intensive industries because of the rapid expansion initiatives being implemented by food companies. The Ramadan season is particularly important for the industry with demand for food and food-related services sharply increasing at this time of the year, creating a corresponding need to hire more people.”