A Night Under the Levantine Sky: A Vegan Fundraising Event Supporting HEAL Palestine
On March 14, at the Appalachian Collegiate Center in the University Union, Binghamton University, New York, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) partnered with the Food Co-op to host “A Night Under the Levantine Sky”. The fundraiser blended Palestinian cultural heritage with the Co-op’s vegan philosophy, offering guests a taste of Palestine through food, music, and community. Fifty percent of the event’s proceeds were donated to HEAL Palestine, an apolitical nonprofit that delivers aid to Palestinian children and families, ensuring the evening carried both cultural and humanitarian impact.
Amman’s MEZETE Wins 2026 Vegan Besties Award, Showcasing Middle Eastern Vegan Heritage
From the heart of Amman, MEZETE Authentic Middle Eastern Foods has proudly won the 2026 Vegan Besties Award at Expo West, with its “To Go” Classic Hummus with Breadsticks recognized as one of the year’s most innovative plant-based products. Presented by World of Vegan, the award celebrates brands that are reshaping the global vegan movement through creativity, accessibility, and cultural impact.
Plant-Powered Journeys: From Mediterranean Mezze to African Stews, Emirates Elevates Vegan Cuisine
Emirates Airlines unveiled a bold new chapter in its culinary story: a move away from engineered substitutes and toward authentic, whole-food creations. The airline’s chefs are crafting dishes that feel vibrant, rooted in tradition, and unmistakably genuine. Passengers can now savor flavors inspired by Mediterranean mezze and Levantine grain salads, Asian noodle bowls with fresh vegetables and aromatic spices, and a wide range of African stews, from chakalaka in South Africa and sukuma wiki in Kenya, to Ugandan groundnut stew, Tunisian lablabi, Senegalese thieboudienne, Ivorian attiéké, Guinean peanut stew, Egyptian koshari, and Tanzanian mchicha.
Wars across the Middle East Reveal the Fragility of Animal Trade
Wars across the Middle East have repeatedly disrupted shipping routes and exposed the instability of live animal exports. This trade, already marked by precarious conditions, proves especially vulnerable in times of conflict. For example, Eurogroup for Animals, together with a coalition of international animal rights organizations, called on the European Commission to suspend live animal exports after conflict left shipments stranded and exposed the fragility of the system. Their intervention demonstrates how wars accross the Middle East have repeatedly forced recognition of the crisis and the suffering it creates.
Gulfood 2026: Global Food Innovation Showcases Plant-Based Momentum
Dubai, February 2026 — Gulfood 2026, the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade exhibition, opened at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together thousands of exhibitors and visitors from across the globe. This year’s edition highlighted the latest trends in food innovation, with a strong focus on sustainability, alternative proteins, and plant-based products.
The Bay at Al Hamra Receives Greener Food Bronze Award
The Bay, located at Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, has been recognized with the Greener Food Bronze Award Certification, celebrating its progress in embedding sustainability into daily operations and offering menus that prioritize plant‑based options. This achievement reflects a clear dedication to reducing environmental impact while ensuring that dining remains inviting, accessible, and delicious.
Emirates Expands Vegan Meals for Global Travelers in 2027
Starting in 2027, Emirates will roll out one of the most ambitious vegan dining programs in aviation, offering passengers a choice of 488 plant-based recipes across 140 destinations. This expansion builds on years of menu development and reflects the airline’s recognition of a growing demand for sustainable, conscious dining options.
Nuttino: Cashews, Not Cow’s Milk, Redefining Cheese Across the Middle East
In the heart of the UAE, a quiet revolution is taking place. Nuttino, a homegrown brand, is rewriting the story of cheese by turning to cashews instead of cow’s milk. What began as a local experiment has become a regional beacon, proving that indulgence can be ethical, delicious, and sustainable. Unlike imported plant‑based products, Nuttino is proudly rooted in the Middle East, crafted for local tastes and already appearing on menus across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Le Pain Quotidien UAE Awarded Greener Food Bronze Recognition
Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ), operated in the UAE by Alshaya Group, has been awarded five Greener Food Bronze Certificates across all of its branches. This recognition celebrates restaurants that embed environmentally responsible practices into their daily operations while offering menus that support conscious, plant‑forward dining.
Reports of Distress and Alleged Killings Raise Concerns at Giza Zoo’s 2026 Reopening
Cairo’s Giza Zoo, undergoing extensive renovations and scheduled to reopen in 2026, is presented by authorities as a modern eco-tourism destination. At the same time, troubling reports during the renovation, including distressed animals, allegations of killings, and mishandling of carcasses, have drawn criticism and raised questions about animal welfare in captivity.
Global Food Week 2025 Signals a New Era of Plant-Based and Alternative Protein Innovation in the Middle East
Global Food Week 2025 in Abu Dhabi marked more than a celebration of ideas. It became a launchpad for concrete action, positioning plant-based innovation and alternative proteins at the heart of the region’s food security strategy. Leaders emphasized that cultivated proteins, fermentation-based foods, and plant-rich diets are no longer distant concepts but urgent solutions for a Middle East facing climate stress, water scarcity, and shifting consumer expectations
Nestlé Commits to Plant‑Based Growth; Advances Net Zero Agenda in UAE
Nestlé is relocating its Middle East and North Africa headquarters to Expo City Dubai in 2025, placing itself at the heart of the UAE’s Green Innovation District alongside organizations driving sustainability and circular economy solutions. This move aligns with Nestlé’s recent commitment to plant‑based growth, a shift that marks more than a corporate milestone. For decades, global food giants have been tied to animal‑based supply chains and practices often criticized as environmentally damaging and ethically questionable. By setting measurable plant‑based targets, participating in the FAIRR initiative, and embedding these goals into Dubai’s innovation hub, Nestlé signals that the future of food in the Middle East is turning toward sustainability, innovation, and ethical consciousness.
Ships of Suffering: 3,000 Cattle Trapped by Live Export off Turkey
For weeks, nearly 3,000 cattle have been stranded aboard the Spiridon II off Turkey’s coast. Denied entry on October 21, 2025, after veterinary inspectors discovered missing ear tags, absent electronic ID chips, and mismatched records for 469 animals, the ship has remained anchored offshore, unable to unload its cargo. On November 8–9, the vessel was briefly allowed to dock to load fodder and bedding, only to be forced back out to sea. By mid‑November, conditions had worsened: animals confined in cramped, unsanitary spaces, food and water running low, and reports of between 48 and 58 cattle dead. Many of the heifers are pregnant, raising fears of miscarriages and further suffering. Footage from the deck shows white bags believed to contain dead bodies, a haunting image of lives lost to bureaucracy and profit.
Oman’s First Plant-Based Meat Startup Prepares for Market Launch
Developed under Sultan Qaboos University’s Scientific Incubator Programme, Nabatenio blends cultural insight with nutritional science to offer a sustainable alternative to conventional meat. Led by student entrepreneur Deena Said al Kalbani, the startup has created one of Oman’s first vegan meat substitutes, now poised for commercial launch, as reported by Muscat Daily.
Gaza’s fallen healer: Honoring Dr. Moaz Abo Rokba’s Legacy of Relentless Animal Care
Dr. Moaz Abo Rokba, a 30-year-old veterinarian in Gaza, was known for his relentless commitment to animal care. He was one of the few professionals in the region trained to perform surgical procedures on animals including complex operations. Even after being displaced and losing his clinic, he refused to stop helping injured animals—performing surgeries in the streets, collaborating with rescue groups, and continuing his work under fire. Dr. Moaz was killed by an Israeli airstrike on the first day of the ceasefire in October 2025, while returning to Jabalia to assess damage in his neighborhood. His wife, Rania Abu al-Foul, said, “Everyone in Gaza knew Moaz was innocent. He was only trying to heal animals. And yet, they killed him.”
Global Food Week 2025 Concludes with a Bold Vision for Plant-Based Protein in the Middle East
Global Food Week 2025 has officially wrapped in Abu Dhabi, leaving behind a clear message: the future of food in the Middle East is plant-powered, sustainable, and technologically driven. With the UAE unveiling its renewed National Food Security Strategy and spotlighting plant-based and cultivated proteins, the event marked a turning point for advocates of sustainable and climate-resilient food systems.
Abu Dhabi’s Leap Toward Animal-Free Proteins: A Turning Point for Ethical Food Systems
In a region where food security and sustainability are urgent priorities, Abu Dhabi is making headlines with a bold move: partnering with precision fermentation pioneers Vivici and The Every Company to build a massive animal-free protein facility. Backed by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, this four-million-litre plant will produce dairy and egg proteins—without cows or chickens.
NÜITREE’s Plant-Based Beverage Revolution: Expanding Ethical Nourishment Across the Middle East
In Dubai Investment City, a quiet revolution is brewing — one that could reshape how the Middle East nourishes itself. At the heart of it is plant-based milk: a symbol of ethical innovation, sustainability, and regional pride. NÜITREE, the region’s first dedicated plant-based beverage company, has partnered with SIG Group to scale production of plant-based milks and other vegan beverages across the UAE and beyond. This isn’t just industrial progress. It’s a cultural shift toward compassion, clean nutrition, and Middle Eastern leadership in ethical food systems.
Abu Dhabi Hosts the Future of Food: Protein Alternatives Take Center Stage at Global Food Week 2025
Abu Dhabi is about to make history. From October 21–23, the UAE capital will host Global Food Week 2025—a dynamic convergence of innovators, investors, and changemakers reshaping the future of food. But this year, something extraordinary is unfolding: for the first time, the Middle East will see a dedicated platform for alternative proteins, spotlighting lab-grown meat, plant-based breakthroughs, and other futuristic solutions that challenge the status quo.
Qatar Launches First University Program on Sustainable Food Systems and Plant-Based Awareness
In a landmark move for sustainability and plant-based education, Qatar has introduced the region’s first accredited university course dedicated to Sustainable Food Systems. Led by Ghanim Al-Sulaiti—vegan entrepreneur, advocate, and founder of Enbat Group—the program is a collaboration between MIE–SPPU Institute of Higher Education (Doha), Earthna’s Qatar Sustainability Week, the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Sustainability (under Dr. Cory Flynn), and Enbat Group.

