Kerry Expands Middle East Production

This new facility will be Kerry’s largest in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region and will produce food ingredients to be distributed across the Middle East.
This new facility will be Kerry’s largest in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region and will produce food ingredients to be distributed across the Middle East.

Kerry has announced the opening of a 21,500-square-foot facility at its Jeddah operation in Saudi Arabia. This new facility will be Kerry’s largest in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region and will produce food ingredients to be distributed across the Middle East.

Related: Kerry Appoints President and Chief Executive Officer in North America

The new facility will utilize global innovation technologies designed to aid food and beverage companies in meeting consumer demand for healthier, tastier and more sustainable food and beverages, particularly in the snack, meat and bakery sectors.

As part of Kerry’s Beyond the Horizon sustainability commitment, the forthcoming facility is also prioritizing environmental impact. Since 2018, the factory carbon footprint has been reduced by 35% and there has been a 40% reduction in water usage. The facility was built on Ready to Eat (RTE) standard of design and construction to uphold customer requirements for hygiene and food safety—as well as FSSC 22000, HACCP, ISO 22000 and AIBI certified.

Edmond Scanlon, chief executive of Kerry Group, said, “Today’s consumer-led food revolution and the world’s environmental challenges are driving accelerated change and reshaping the entire food industry. The opening of our new facility at our Jeddah site is part of our commitment to continuing to grow our presence across the Middle East where we have invested over €80 million since 2018. Our continued growth and investment reflect the growing number of consumers in the region who are adopting a more proactive approach to their health and wellbeing and want to be able to consume food and beverage products that support their goals while also being respectful of our environment. This new facility is the first of its kind in the Middle East and is one of the most modern and efficient in the world offering top-in-class sustainable nutrition technology platforms, laboratories equipped with unique testing capabilities while also being sustainable.”

Peter Dillane, vice president and general manager, Kerry Middle East, India, Sub-Saharan Africa (MISA), said, “Our customers are our priority, and our commitment is to bring local solutions to the Saudi market. We believe in global capability, executed locally, as seen in our local insight and team backed by Kerry’s global technical and operational expertise. Our deep understanding of retail and foodservice channels enhances our ability to partner customers with greater success and make it easier and more valuable for them to do business with us.”

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