Arla Foods, the leading global dairy company, has announced that within the last five years, it has invested a total of SAR127 million in the Saudi dairy business, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the growth of the industry in the Kingdom, and supporting Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the economy.
Arla Foods is investing over SAR64 million in its brand-new production lines which have been operational in Saudi Arabia since September 2021.
These lines will be producing Starbucks ready to drink products and Puck sauces, soups and cooking cream.
The production volume in Saudi is projected to increase by 10% in 2022 compared to 2021.
With these additional production lines, Arla Foods, which is responsible for brands such as, Puck, Lurpak, The Three Cows, Starbucks ready to drink, and Kraft in Saudi Arabia, is set to further increase the diversity of the products it has been exporting to the region.
The company’s efforts have created several new jobs in the Kingdom over the past year, and the company plans to continue offering new employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia, especially among senior level jobs.
It has been successful to achieve the Kingdom’s Saudization targets through a substantial increase in the number of local hires. With the new production lines, Arla Foods is introducing a fully Saudi Female operated line.
The Saudi dairy market valued at $5.72 billion in 2020, is estimated to amount to $7.94 billion by the end of 2026, growing with a CAGR of 5.66%, according to TechSci Research report.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the leading markets for dairy products in the region and has become a focal point for our production expansion goals. Serving as a gateway for us to tap into the country and neighboring markets, Arla Foods is aligning its operations with the Kingdom’s long-term goals for the sector to support the Saudi economy and seize the opportunities presented by the ever-growing market,” said Henrik Lilballe Hansen, Vice President, Managing Director of Arla Foods, KSA.
Located in Riyadh, Arla has upgraded its production site, fully renovating them to accommodate the new production lines and transforming seven out of 13 warehouse depots so far.
“Our long-term plan is to continue to scale up our business in Saudi Arabia. This further supports the Saudi Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the economy, focus on local agriculture and food security, while maintaining the high standards and growing demands of the expanding marketplace,” Hansen added.
“The Ministry of investment is always committed to extend its support to domestic and foreign investors to establish and expand their investments in the Kingdom,” said Adnan al-Sharqi, Deputy of Integrated Investors Services of Ministry of Investment.
“We expand our comprehensive and dynamic network of investors and match them with the best selection of investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia for various sectors.”
The Ministry is ready to provide support whenever needed and act as an advocate for companies to facilitate their investment journey, he affirmed.
