Importing frozen açaí and açaí sorbet into the UAE: a buyer guide

This guide is for UAE importers, HORECA distributors, hotel groups and café chains planning to bring in frozen açaí pulp or açaí sorbet. It summarises the official rules we could cite as at 20 October 2026. It is not legal advice: rules change, so confirm the details for your shipment with the authority, your clearing agent or your customs broker.

The main official source used here is the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority's ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024 on food importers and exporters. It applies to consignments through Abu Dhabi ports and refers to the federal ZAD system that applies across the UAE. Dubai Municipality publishes its own food import services (Dubai Municipality, Food Safety Department services).

1. Who does what

• The UAE importer holds the trade licence, registers as an importer, registers each product and clears each consignment. ADAFSA lists the absence of an import or general trade activity in the commercial licence as a reason for conditional release or rejection (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Chapters Five and Six).
• The exporter (Terrapure) provides product information for registration: label artwork, ingredients, specifications, certificates of analysis on request, and the organic certificate on request for the pulp and powder only.

2. Register the importer

For consignments through Abu Dhabi, the importing company registers on the Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP) and must be among the authorised importers to use the food consignment services (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Chapter One). In Dubai, the Food Safety Department lists services to register and assess a food item and to release imported food consignments for sale in the local market (Dubai Municipality).

3. Register each product in ZAD

Food imported into the UAE must be registered in ZAD before it is handled in UAE markets (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 1). Registration asks for:

• a clear, legible copy of the label in Arabic and English, and a picture of the product in its final packaging;
• barcode, country of origin, package type, weight or volume, brand, trade name, and manufacturer name and address;
• ingredients, food additives and storage temperature;
• supporting certificates for any claims on the label.

For açaí this means each format is a separate product: a 10 kg pail of pulp, a 1.5 kg pot of pulp, and each sorbet flavour and tub size. Keeping label claims simple keeps the supporting paperwork simple. Terrapure does not put health or nutrition claims on its labels.

Dubai: importers into Dubai can also use Dubai Municipality's FIRS portal or the ZADI platform for food item registration, label assessment and import requests, and food items registering for the first time for import into Dubai undergo laboratory testing by Dubai Municipality (USDA FAS Dubai report, 2022). Supplying Dubai cafés and hotels? Read açaí for Dubai cafés and hotels.

4. Arabic labels

Food labels must be in Arabic and may include other languages (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 3, applying UAE.S 9). The mandatory items include the product name, ingredients in descending order with additives and allergens, nutrition information, net contents, the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter or seller, country of origin, lot number, date marking and storage instructions. Added stickers must resist removal, must not hide required information and must not conflict with the original label.

For Açaí with Guaraná, the caffeine wording on the label is confirmed with your quote. For private label sorbet, Arabic and English artwork is agreed before production.

5. Documents for each consignment

For an import request through ATLP, the guideline lists, among others (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Chapters Two and Three):

• a health certificate for the food products, issued by a competent authority in the country of origin or export;
• a packing list showing packing date, items, quantities and production and expiry dates per batch;
• the bill of lading;
• a halal certificate for products that need one under the UAE halal system;
• supporting documents for any nutrition or other claims on the label;
• temperature logs for chilled and frozen consignments, if required.

Which of these apply to your shipment, and what Terrapure can provide, is confirmed with your quote. Halal documentation: ask us. Say so in your brief if buyers need it.

6. Cold chain

Frozen food must be kept at -18°C or colder in transport, vehicles must be able to monitor and record temperature, and records are kept for one year (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 2). Terrapure's frozen pulp and sorbet are stored at -18°C. Plan your receiving checks with our cold storage and receiving guides.

7. Inspection and first shipments

ADAFSA uses three control levels: document review; document review plus visual inspection; and document review, visual inspection and laboratory sampling (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Chapter Two). A consignment entering the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for the first time is detained (Chapter Six, Clarification Three), so build time for the first shipment into your plan.

8. Samples

The guideline exempts from registration food samples for promotional and market research purposes that are not for sale, and samples for exhibitions that are not for sale (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 1, Section Three). Terrapure samples are not currently available.

Pulp or sorbet for the UAE?

Many UAE operators use both. See the UAE açaí wholesale page (and the açaí wholesale Qatar guide for Doha), açaí sorbet wholesale and organic frozen açaí pulp, or send a brief through the RFQ form.

For açaí importers in the Middle East

This guide covers the UAE. Açaí importers in the Middle East buying for several markets can compare the Qatar import guide, then see our supplier pages: açaí supplier UAE, açaí supplier Dubai, açaí supplier Doha and açaí wholesale Qatar.

UAE wholesale pages after registration

After ZAD registration and label planning, use the UAE commercial pages for formats and quotes. National wholesale: açaí supplier UAE. Dubai: açaí supplier Dubai. Trade packs: bulk açaí supplier. Qatar: açaí wholesale Qatar · açaí supplier Doha.

Questions buyers ask

Which UAE wholesale pages should importers open next?

National wholesale: açaí supplier UAE. Dubai kitchens: açaí supplier Dubai. Bulk packs: bulk açaí supplier. Qatar sister market: açaí wholesale Qatar.

Does this guide apply to other Middle East markets?

No. It covers the UAE only. Each GCC country has its own registration system; for Qatar see the Qatar import guide.

Does frozen açaí need to be registered before it is sold in the UAE?

Yes. Food imported into the UAE must be registered in the federal ZAD system before it is handled in UAE markets, and registration needs a clear copy of the label in Arabic and English (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 1).

Do labels have to be in Arabic?

Yes. Food labels must be in Arabic and may include other languages. Added stickers must resist removal and must not hide required information (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 3).

Do samples need ZAD registration?

The guideline exempts food samples for promotional and market research purposes that are not for sale, and samples for exhibitions that are not for sale (ADAFSA Guideline No. 1 of 2024, Appendix 1, Section Three). Confirm your case with the authority or your clearing agent.

Is Terrapure's açaí sorbet organic?

No. Açaí Scoop sorbet is not sold as organic. Organic applies to the frozen pulp and powder, and the organic certificate for those is available on request.

Does Terrapure hold stock in the UAE?

No. Terrapure quotes from Brazil and does not hold stock or have an office in the UAE. Export and delivery are confirmed on quote.

Request a UAE quote

Related: UAE açaí wholesale · Qatar import guide · UK import guide · how to import frozen açaí (all markets) · organic açaí import documentation · how foodservice distributors can source Brazilian açaí · private label açaí sorbet · what to include in an RFQ