From supermarket shelves to IT projects: Made in Russia makes its mark in the Emirates

The economic partnership between Russia and the UAE has reached a new level. By the end of 2025, bilateral trade turnover hit an all-time high, exceeding $12 billion (Dh44 billion), which placed the UAE among Russia's top 10 trading partners. Forecasts for 2026 confirm the stability of this trajectory: bilateral trade is expected to remain in the range of $12 billion-$14 billion.

Behind these figures lies a structural shift. If Russian exports to the Emirates were previously associated mainly with energy carriers and raw materials, today the structure of supplies is becoming noticeably more diverse — from food production to high-tech equipment. Non-resource categories are becoming increasingly important for trade relations between the two countries.

The growth of non-resource categories in Russia's export structure is not a coincidence, but the result of systematic work under the national Made in Russia programme. Its goals are to increase exports of non-resource non-energy goods and to boost supplies of agricultural products.

Made in Russia takes the main stages in the Emirates

Today, the Made in Russia programme is a whole promotional ecosystem that includes participation in international exhibitions and business missions, the organisation of festival fairs and much more. The Emirates became the first country in the Gulf where the programme went beyond the exhibition stand and became part of city life.

The most striking and recognisable part of the Made in Russia programme has become the festival fairs, which promote cultural exports and business cooperation. The format debuted in February 2025 in Abu Dhabi on the Yas Bay waterfront, where 80 manufacturers from 30 regions of the Russian Federation presented food products, cosmetics and designer clothing. In addition to cultural events with master classes and the Digital Art Russia exhibition, a crucial part of the fair was B2B negotiations with 60 Middle Eastern distributors and HoReCa representatives on supplies to MENA countries.

Made in Russia takes centre stage at major UAE expos

Beyond the festival, the programme actively operates at specialised exhibitions in the UAE, forming large-scale national pavilions under the single Made in Russia brand. This permanent presence allows the key achievements of Russian manufacturers to be presented directly to the leading players of the Middle East. In particular, at Gulfood, the world's largest food exhibition in Dubai, the Russian exposition traditionally becomes one of the most prominent, opening access for UAE distributors to environmentally clean food products and certified halal products.

High-tech, environmental and digital solutions from Russian companies generate steady interest at such key industrial platforms in the region as WETEX and the largest IT showcase, GITEX. Overall, the brand's geography covers the entire spectrum of the Emirates' business calendar, demonstrating the business community's readiness to offer innovations for a wide range of sectors of the UAE economy.

Thus, Made in Russia is an effective bridge connecting Russia's production potential and the dynamically developing UAE market. The programme opens access for residents and businesses of the Emirates to the best domestic products, guaranteeing their premium status and full compliance with international standards.

One step away from the consumer: Russian brands that have already conquered the UAE market

Today, this high standard is clearly confirmed by the success of Russian brands that have already earned the trust of local consumers and firmly established themselves in the UAE market. The spectrum of these companies is wide — from recognisable food products to high-tech solutions.

A striking example of such success is Miratorg agricultural holding, which has gone from its first beef supplies to a large-scale retail presence in the Emirates. An important stage in the brand's localisation in the UAE was the launch of the flagship Miratorg Signature showroom in Dubai's Motor City district.

Beyond the meat industry, the Made in Russia certificate has brought a whole range of iconic domestic brands to the UAE market. The country's sweet traditions are represented by the legendary Alyonka chocolate and Rot Front products, which have gained immense popularity among the UAE's audience. Local supermarket shelves are also actively expanding with other food categories, including baby food from FrutoNanny, select grains and pulses from Mistral Trading, and innovative dairy solutions from Logika Moloka.

Russian brands are actively expanding into the UAE's retail platforms and specialised sectors. SPLAT Global oral care products are available on the major marketplace Noon.com, while Geltek's professional cosmetics have gained trust in local pharmacies and beauty centers. Simultaneously, Russian reliability standards are being integrated into Dubai and Abu Dhabi infrastructure, with Sveza supplying high-quality plywood for major construction projects and Leber providing equipment for safe playgrounds.

The success of these companies in such polar-opposite niches clearly confirms that the Made in Russia mark has become a universal symbol of reliability for the UAE, guaranteeing high standards of goods both in everyday retail and in large-scale industrial projects.

Global dialogue and technologies of the future

Modern international cooperation between Russia and the UAE is penetrating ever deeper into the sphere of innovation, where digital and engineering solutions are becoming the key vector of development. The main platform for shaping this technological agenda will be the International Export Forum Made in Russia in Moscow, which will take place on November 16. This large-scale event annually brings together representatives of business, government structures and experts from around the world, including key partners from the Middle East. This year, the central place in the forum's programme is given to technological exports, the IT industry and knowledge-intensive solutions designed to set new trends for the global market and open additional horizons for innovative joint projects.

As part of the forum, the Russian Export Center will set up a large-scale Made in Russia exhibition at the National Centre, a key element of which will be an interactive zone featuring cutting-edge developments from domestic companies. This exposition will clearly demonstrate to international guests the best technological achievements of Russian regions.

The path travelled by the programme — from earning the trust of discerning consumers and filling supermarket shelves in the UAE to presenting complex knowledge-intensive solutions at a global forum in Moscow — demonstrates the enormous flexibility and potential of Russian business. Today, Made in Russia is becoming not just a symbol of quality goods, but an international synonym for reliable technological partnership, ready to respond to the most ambitious challenges of the global economy.