Brief
Gulf food producers seek shelf‑stable solutions as shipping delays cut product shelf life
Extended transit times of up to 20 days are prompting Gulf manufacturers to adopt shelf‑stable processing to protect margins.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Dubai – Shipping durations from major Gulf ports to key markets have lengthened from about 35 days to roughly 55 days, squeezing the commercial shelf life of chilled foods, Gulf News reported on 7 October 2026. Abdelghany Eladib, President and General Manager for India, Middle East and Africa at SIG Group, warned that the extra 20 days can erode a product’s usable window, driving higher waste, discounting and margin pressure.
What happened
The slowdown stems from regional disruptions that have forced carriers to take longer routes. A chilled product with an original 120‑day shelf life could lose a substantial portion of its commercial window once transit stretches to 55 days. The impact is most acute on shipments to Africa and on raw‑material imports to Gulf manufacturing hubs.
What the reports add
Eladib explained that while firms have tried rerouting to maintain continuity, “every additional day still comes out of the product’s available shelf life,” meaning rerouting does not fully solve the problem. He highlighted a shift toward shelf‑stable, aseptic processing, where food and its packaging are sterilised separately before being combined in a sterile environment. This method allows products to stay stable without refrigeration until opened, reducing reliance on a continuous cold chain.
What was said
"The sector has adapted well operationally, but the recent period has exposed where one of the real vulnerabilities sits, and it isn’t only in logistics. It’s in how much shelf life a product has left by the time it reaches the market," Eladib told Gulf News.
How it came about
Earlier this month, Felo News covered food‑waste issues in South Africa, noting that post‑harvest handling and storage losses are significant. The Gulf’s own supply‑chain strains echo those challenges, prompting manufacturers to explore technologies that can extend product life and open new markets beyond the cold‑chain‑dependent routes.
Key facts
- Shipping times from Gulf ports have risen from about 35 to 55 days. (gulfnews.com)
- The extra 20 days can cut a chilled product's commercial shelf life, increasing waste and margin pressure. (gulfnews.com)
- SIG Group executive Abdelghany Eladib says rerouting does not recover lost shelf life. (gulfnews.com)
- Aseptic processing allows products to remain shelf‑stable without refrigeration until opening. (gulfnews.com)
- The issue is most acute on routes to Africa and for raw‑material imports to Gulf hubs. (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “How Gulf food producers are building more resilient supply chains”
