Al Ain Farms Group (AAFG), one of the UAE’s largest food and beverage manufacturers, has launched Al Ain Farms Kefir, the UAE’s first authentic locally made kefir, offering consumers a traditional fermented dairy drink known for its distinctive tangy taste and gut health benefits. The launch comes as demand for functional fermented foods continues to rise across the region, with the UAE kefir market itself projected to reach US$23.1M by 2030.
Made from fresh local milk and produced using real kefir cultures, Al Ain Farms Kefir was developed to stay true to the drink’s centuries-old origins. As consumers increasingly seek functional foods that support overall wellbeing, kefir has gained popularity worldwide, while its tangy flavour remains one of the defining characteristics that has made it a staple in many cultures for generations.
For kefir drinkers, that tanginess is more than a flavour profile — it’s a hallmark of authenticity as it is not same as a soft texture of a smoothy laban which consumers are used to in the UAE.
Milana Boskovic, Chief Marketing and R&D Officer at Al Ain Farms Group, said: “When we set out to develop Al Ain Farms Kefir, we wanted to stay true to the authentic kefir that consumers know and recognise from around the world, while making it more accessible through local production in the UAE,” she said.
She added: “Whether consumers are discovering kefir for the first time or already know it well, we wanted them to experience it as it was meant to be. The range was developed using specific trade skills of fermentation with authentic kefir grains – a knowledge that comes from best practices in countries that have a long-standing kefir tradition. This has helped us develop and launch the distinctive taste and benefits of first true kefir in UAE market.”
Built for a healthier gut, Al Ain Farms Kefir is produced using a proprietary blend of more than 12 probiotic strains, delivering the broad microbial diversity that defines authentic, traditionally fermented kefir.
Consumer testing also underscored the product’s authenticity credentials. When tested among consumers from CIS and Eastern European communities familiar with traditional kefir, the product achieved a 4.7 out of 5 score for taste authenticity and recorded a 71% high consumption rate, validating demand for authentic kefir in the UAE market.
Al Ain Farms Kefir is available in three varieties: Original, which offers the traditional tangy kefir taste, alongside Strawberry and Blueberry variants for consumers looking for a milder introduction to the category. All three variants are available now at Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarkets and Supermarkets, e-commerce platforms including noon, Amazon, Talabat, and ADNOC service stations across the UAE.
The launch reflects AAFG’s broader focus on expanding its portfolio with products that respond to evolving consumer preferences, combining local production, nutritional value and trusted quality to meet growing demand for specialised health and wellness offerings.
