KAEC — Al Kabeer Group for food industries inaugurated its new industrial facility in the Industrial Valley in King Abdullah Economic City under the sponsorship and in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority Dr. Hisham bin Saad Al Jaddaei.
Al Kabeer Group is one of the leading frozen food producers in the Kingdom and the region, and the opening of the facility comes as part of the company’s strategic plan to expand operations and increase its production capacity to meet growing demand.
Also in attendance were General Manager of Al Kabeer Group Ahmad Khan and Chief Executive Officer of the Industrial Valley in King Abdullah Economic City Rayan Qutub, in addition to a number of senior officials from both the Economic City, Economic Cities Authority and Al Kabeer Group.
Group CEO and Managing Director of King Abdullah Economic City Fahd Al-Rasheed welcomed Al Kabeer Group to the Industrial Valley, noting that Al Kabeer is one of the leading Saudi food companies. “The opening of the new factory in the Industrial Valley will enrich the value and diversity of the Valley, which is now the main center for industrial and logistical services by the Red Sea,” said Al Rasheed. ”We are also working on a number of additional strategic engines in the Economic City, such as real estate development for commercial and residential units, and investment in the tourism and entertainment industry, in order to actively contribute to the Kingdom’s socioeconomic growth.”
“The Al Kabeer factory at King Abdullah Economic City is the company’s first in the Kingdom, and will be followed by more, God willing,” said Al Kabeer Group GM Ahmed Khan. “We chose to locate in the Industrial Valley because of the shipping facilities and distinct public services it offers as well as the different components of the Economic City. Also, the geographical proximity to the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah will facilitate the company’s provision of different products to pilgrims such as healthy, ready-made meals.”
The new factory has a built-up area of 7,943 square meters, with a total area of 44,493 square meters, leaving plenty of scope for future expansion. It has been designed with an annual production capacity of 9,000 metric tons, and currently employs 34 Saudi employees, 24 of which are female. The facility has been approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and has been provided with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure food safety and quality in line with the industry’s highest standards. It is also strictly Shariah-compliant and halal, as is the case with all the company’s other major factories. The factory will operate under the same principles and ethics adopted by Al Kabeer Group.
Khan also emphasized Al Kabeer Group’s confidence in the Saudi economy, and stressed that the company has been able to earn the trust of the local consumer through its high-quality products, which are produced using the finest fresh beef, chicken, fish, vegetables, spices and herbs.
“The factory will contribute to advancing the Kingdom’s socioeconomic development through the provision of employment opportunities for Saudi youth, not to mention its role in raising the demand for printing and packaging services and products,” he added.
Al Kabeer Group was established in the Arab world 40 years ago, and has been present in the Saudi frozen foods market for 37 years. While the factory is the company’s first in the Kingdom, it is the third in the GCC. Today, Al Kabeer Group offers 300 ready-to-cook or frozen products in over 20,000 sales outlets across the Gulf, Levant, South Asian, Far Eastern and African markets.
Rayan Qutub said “Al Kabeer will be an important and valuable addition to the investments in the Economic City, as it is considered one of the trademarks that we rely on in achieving an added value that fits for our ambitions in providing local and international markets with high quality products.”
He added that Saudi Arabia accounts for about 60% of food consumption and 75% of the volume of food processing in the Gulf, making the Industrial Valley the natural choice as the prime destination and advanced supply point for logistical services and food industries, based on its strategic location and logistical linkage. — SG
