India is one of the fastest growing industrial markets, according to FS-Elliott as it opens a wholly owned subsidiary, FS Compressors India, with offices in Pune and Bangalore.
Secomak, which solves moisture related issues for customers including Coca-Cola, Nestlè, Danone and PepsiCo, is seeing a growing demand for its drying technology for the confectionery and dairy industry in the Middle East.
Thompson Reuters has cut its growth forecast for the global Halal food market, saying the market will grow to just under US$1.6tn by 2020, instead of 2018 as predicted last year.
Australia’s meat exports to the Middle East are booming, up 11% year-on-year in 2014-15 and up 5% in the first six months of this fiscal year alone, according to the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Saudi’s Savola Group has formed a joint venture with Thai Union Frozen, one of the world’s largest seafood processors, to bring new seafood products to the Middle East, targeting US$400m in sales.
British firm Lewis Pies will start exporting a range of frozen pies to the Middle East after signing a new sales and distribution agreement with the Yearsley Group.
The Middle East’s share of Brazilian beef giant Minerva’s foreign sales slipped in Q2 to 16% of exports, while competitor JBS saw its MEA exports grow compared to other regions.
Saudi Arabia remains the most attractive food and beverage market ahead of Egypt, with food consumption growth of 7.6% this year, says a new BMI report.
Scottish food and drink exports to the Middle East grew 20% year-on-year in 2014 to US$350m, and have nearly doubled since 2007, with fish and seafood leading the growth.
Botanicals are the fastest growing nutraceutical ingredient class in a category being driven by ageing populations around the world, a report has found.
Imports of Brazilian eggs by Middle Eastern buyers grew 41% in the first half of the year, with sales totalling US$6.9m, according to the Brazilian government.
Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza) pitched itself as a one-stop Halal hub at a road show in Japan this month, while the UAE is still working towards finalising its Halal standards.
Nestlé has released its first corporate accountability report for the region, and promises to cut waste, improve children’s health and reduce salt and sugar in its products.
Belgian chocolate maker Godiva is planning to open around a dozen new stores in the GCC by the end of the year, as it capitalises on its recently-established direct presence.
A Saudi delegation complimented Brazilian beef facilities this month after a long-awaited inspection, the clearest indication yet that the kingdom will lift its import ban.
Russia’s Halal industry is working to grow its exports to the Middle East, as the country signs a meat-for-grain deal with Iran, and Belarus is set to start UAE beef shipments.
British snack maker The London Deli Company is planning to open its first Middle East store and is ramping up its operation to cope with increased regional demand.
Government food subsidies may contribute to high rates of child stunting in the Middle East, according to research by the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri).
Omani bottled water producer Barzman National has increased its production capacity to cope with rising demand, adding a new 22,000 bottle-per-hour line to its facilities.
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City has bagged two new food clients, with Malaysian snack maker Mamee and Saudi cold storage firm Abdullah Abbar and Sons planning facilities in the city.
Brazilian exporters have seen mixed results in the Middle East in Q1, with BRF’s regional revenues growing 15%, while Minerva Foods saw a sharp drop in export volumes.
Egyptian bakery manufacturer Edita has embarked on an aggressive regional expansion drive across the Middle East and North Africa after acquiring the rights to Hostess Brands’ Hoho’s, Twinkies and Tiger Tail brands in 12 new countries.
Dispatches from Asia Choco Cocoa Congress in Singapore
Vietnamese state-owned companies plan to convert some coffee and rubber plantations to cocoa, delivering a significant boost to the country’s annual output, says Vietnam’s principle cocoa buyer Puratos Grand-Place.
Silver Fern Farms is rolling out its high-end chilled New Zealand beef and lamb ranges to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, citing growing consumer demand for premium, natural meat products.
Saudi Arabia prepares to lift its ban on Brazilian beef, as Saudi and Brazilian trade officials are working to ease food import procedures with a series of new agreements.
This week Molson Coors acquired an Indian brewer, while Heineken announced a global reshuffle of its business. Meanwhile, there’s a new Life down under… read on for more nuggets of news in this week’s Beverage Bites feature.
Inadequate logistics facilities in the Middle East are affecting the region’s food supply chain and will cause long-term problems, according to an investment analyst.
Brazil’s poultry producers don’t expect significant benefits from having a single global Halal standard, as proposed by Dubai, according to a trade association executive.
Edible oil manufacturer Fuji will use its first research centre outside of Japan to focus on products formulated for the Asian market, the company said at its ceremony in Singapore.
An Indonesian canned fish producer is aiming to make its entry into the Middle East food market, as Indonesia’s government aims to bolster its national fishing industry.
Dubai-made Signature Snacks have plenty of expansion potential in Europe thanks to favorable labor costs and a central global location, says distributor United Products.
Aujan Coca-Cola will spend US$500m on expanding its operations across the Middle East to take advantage of growing regional markets, the beverage firm announced at Gulfood.
British food ingredients manufacturer Ulrick & Short is planning its entry to the Middle East market this year, to take advantage of the growing demand for fat and sugar replacers.
Chocolate maker Mars has invested a total of US$140m in new manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to increase production of its Galaxy and Snickers lines.
French dairy giant Lactalis has entered the race to acquire Arab Dairy Products Company with an offer that tops all earlier bids for the Egyptian cheesemaker.
Food producer Cargill has launched 12 new ingredient prototypes in the Middle East at Gulfood Manufacturing, on the back of integrating its operations across the region.
Sidel announced it has signed a partnership with Sayeed International, an industrial packaging company in Pakistan, at Gulfood Mannufacturing 2014, in Dubai.
Tomra has developed its camera technology and software to modify its Genius 640 3-way sorter with two rejector streams for dates in MENA because ‘the industry wants different sizes, below and above a certain size so they all look the same in a package’.
