Dubai, 16 May 2017: Nestlé Middle East’s 18th factory in the region has been inaugurated in Dubai South by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed AL Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman Dubai Airports, and Chairman & Chief Executive Emirates Airlines & Group; and in the presence of Marco Settembri, Executive Vice President Nestlé SA and Head of Zone Europe, Middle East and North Africa. “Dubai South offers strategic advantages that make it an ideal and attractive destination for leading multinationals,” said H.H Sheikh Ahmed. “It is an important component in Dubai’s vision to provide a comprehensive platform that caters to the needs of aviation, air transport, commercial, and logistics businesses.” “Nestlé has been the early mover to Dubai South having realized its potential as the economic platform for the future. They have leveraged our excellent infrastructure and ease of doing business to further grow their business. We’re delighted to see Nestlé growing stronger in the region,” said H.E. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South. “The Al-Maha factory underlines our commitment to our customers, our willingness to invest and create jobs, and our ambition to minimize our environmental impact,” said Marco Settembri. “This US$ 145 million investment is Nestlé’s 18th production site in the Middle East and another milestone in our more than 80 years in this region. It shows our confidence in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates as a dynamic, stable and competitive business hub, and our long-term commitment to the people of the Middle East.” The new factory employs 340 men and women stemming from 20 different nationalities. Sixty percent of the team is under 30 years old. Nestlé already operates two other factories in Dubai Investment Park, one for Nestlé Waters, and another – Nestlé Dubai Manufacturing – covering KITKAT, MACKINTOSH’s Quality Street, and NIDO products. “Nestlé Al-Maha is yet another way for us to meet our commitment to the Middle East,” said Yves Manghardt, Chairman and CEO Nestlé Middle East FZE. “Manufacturing locally enables us to source locally, invest locally, make tailored products to better meet local needs, and serve communities in the region more rapidly and more effectively.” The new factory has already achieved outstanding results with regards to safety, with zero accidents during the construction period. It also met the stringent Nestlé quality standards from the very first production run. Nestlé Al-Maha holds the Halal certification of the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). It runs on 100% LED lighting, which consumes nominal energy, is fully insulated to save air-conditioning energy, recycles 100 per cent of waste from products and raw materials, reaching zero waste for landfill, implements water saving mechanisms, and has an ambition to operate on solar-generated power. The Factory also includes a permanent exhibit, showcasing the role Nestlé plays in society. Some examples in the Middle East are the Nestlé Healthy Kids Program – Ajyal Salima, now in five countries in the region where it has reached over 40,000 children to date; and United for Healthier Kids that has mobilized so far over 580,000 joiners to nurture healthier generations. The exhibit also features high-tech tools; including iPads and Oculi, allowing 360-degree virtual visits of farms around the world from which raw material is sourced for products. It also provides special presentations for students on site, and offers digital guides for career development and enhancement for Youth. [alert color="green" type="alert-message-background" title="About Nestlé Middle East" size="big"]Nestlé Middle East’s heritage goes back 80 years to 1934 when the first import operation was set up in Lebanon. Today, Nestlé Middle East owns and operates 18 factories and provides direct employment to more than 11,000 employees who are all committed to Nestlé’s purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. It also provides indirect employment to several thousand more. The Nestlé portfolio in the region currently exceeds 60 innovative product brands in a wide range of categories: dairy products and infant nutrition, bottled water, chocolate and confectionery, coffee creamers, breakfast cereals, and culinary products, among others. Nestlé Nido, Nestlé NAN, S-26, Progress, Maggi, Nescafé, Kit Kat, Coffeemate, Nestlé Cerelac, Nestlé Pure Life, Nespresso and Nestlé Fitness are just some of the brands available in the Middle East.[/alert]

By far the fastest growth in cereals stems from Africa, led by Sub-Saharan Africa, but with the Middle East and North Africa also growing strongly. Total global market value of pulses, grains and cereals reached US$279.7 billion in 2016 and is forecast to reach US$286.4 billion in 2017. In both cases, this is from a small base, led by consumers in lowerincome areas of these regions trading up to packaged versions of staple cereals. In most developed markets, sales of cereals are at saturation point, with little room left for growth. North America, following a decline over the review period, is expected to be stable to 2021. Diversifying diets and moves away from carbohydrate-heavy foods mean these are difficult markets to navigate. Growth prospects come instead in cereals that offer newness and/or healthy options (Asian-style noodle dishes, quinoa-based pasta) or offer added-value convenience (microwaveable rice, chilled pasta and noodle dishes). Breakfast cereals face similar prospects, with a reputation for being unhealthy and due to competition from other convenient options, such as breakfast bars. However, health positioned options such as granolas and mueslis are faring better. Alongside North America, growth is also sluggish in the more developed Western European markets: here maturity combines with trends away from carbohydrate-based meals to create a difficult operating environment. Value growth is supported by rising unit prices. The fastest growth is visible where there is still room to grow in consumption levels of packaged staples and where breakfast cereals are at an earlier stage of development, with a healthier image – this is focused on Sub-Saharan Africa but also includes areas in North Africa, parts of Asia, and Central America. Dynamic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is the result of consumers trading up to packaged products. In Nigeria, for example, sales of instant noodles are rocketing as they are low priced (in a period of relatively high pricing on imported rice), easil available and convenient to prepare, and are particularly popular among urban families with young children.

Africa Business Pages, the leading B2B portal connecting African buyers with global suppliers, has compiled a special directory of rice importers in Africa. The Africa Rice Importers Directory lists major rice importers in Africa from over 40 African countries. Rice importers in Africa have been buying ever increasing quantities of rice from all across the world in order to meet the rising demand for rice amongst African buyers. According to industry reports, A frica imported 17 million tonnes in the last five years.  Around half of the current global population—or about 3.5 billion people—relies on rice as a source of sustenance and livelihood. As local rice producers in Africa are not able to meet the rising demand for rice, importers of rice have been buying from overseas suppliers to meet the rising demand for rice amongst African consumers. Many African rice importers import a significant amount of rice for local consumption and regional distribution. However, the relatively small country of Benin has emerged as one of the leading rice importers in Africa. Most of the rice imported into Benin is actually destined for Nigeria and is smuggled across the border to bypass the ban on imported rice by the Nigerian government in a bid to promote local agriculture. The Africa Rice Importers Directory has been compiled with the sole purpose of promoting direct B2B contacts between African importers of rice and global suppliers. The Africa Rice Importers Directory provides exporters of rice a comprehensive database of importers of rice in Africa and helps them contact them directly. Online sales as well as email marketing has been playing an ever important role in promoting B2B contacts and generating sales leads – specially so in Africa where other forms of media and promotional tools are not as effective. By compiling a well researched list of rice importers in Africa, the Africa Business Pages has proved once again that it has been leading the pack when it comes to direct B2B promotions in the African markets.

Rice is continuously gaining importance as a staple food in Africa. While Africa has vast areas of land that are suitable for rice cultivation, they are underutilized, prompting the African markets to import nearly 40% of its rice requirements at a cost of approximately US$1.1 billion per year. India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, saw 5% broken parboiled rice rise $7 per tonne to $352 to $357 per tonne, as aggressive purchases by the government and exporters pushed prices of unmilled rice in the local market. Rice prices in India have been increasing as demand from African buyers continues to grow and government agencies and exporters have been buying rice from local farmers in large quantities, while export markets in Thailand and Vietnam have been quiet due to the absence of many African buyers of rice. Rice importers in Africa have bought more rice from Myanmar and about 60 per cent of rice carried from sea routes are exported to Africa. Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) is expected to export about three million tonnes of rice in 2020. China is now the top producer, top consumer, top stockholder, top importer and a “rising exporter” of rice. Almost two-thirds of Chinese rice exports were to Africa. Meanwhile, the amount of rice Thailand has been exporting, especially to Africa, has dwindled, as Thailand is left with only the no-longer-good-for-human consumption rice within the country’s domestic stocks. The rapid growth in sales to African nations is expected to continue as African buyers increasingly turn to China as stockpiles are almost depleted in rival supplier Thailand. China sold just over 781,000 tonnes of rice to almost 40 African countries including Ivory Coast and Senegal in 2017. That accounted for nearly 70 percent of China’s total shipments of the commodity, versus 19 percent in 2016. China has around 94 million tonnes of rice stockpiles, two-thirds of the world’s excess inventory and enough to feed India for a year. A lot of that was accumulated through years of the government buying the grain from farmers at a minimum price when the market price dropped below that level. Tanzania’s has recorded a 20% increase in rice imports from Pakistan valued at US$29.6 million between July and December 2017. With the growing demand for rice especially in urban areas, Tanzania is the major producer and supplier of rice in the region, while Kenya and Uganda are minor producers. Tanzania is set to overtake Madagascar to become the leading grower of rice in Africa, having produced over one million tonnes of rice per annum, coming second to Madagascar’s yearly output of 4.3 tonnes. Pakistan targets to export four-million-tonne rice annually to fetch US$2 billion in foreign exchange mainly driven by Chinese cooperation with the government and private sector in the field. Despite the fact that Tanzania is a major rice producer and exporter, it ranks number eight on the list of importers of the rice during the period and the third top African market after Kenya, which is ranked second and Madagascar in the fourth position. While Madagascar spend US$51.7 million, Kenya spend as high as US$98.6 million to buy rice from Pakistan, with Benin and Somalia also projected on the list of top importers from Africa. Zimbabwe is a net importer of rice and spends about $80 million annually to import the cereal. The rapid acceleration in per capita rice consumption in Africa since the mid-1990s is due to the liberalization of rice imports combined with a downward trend of the price on the international market.

Ariel Foods, a renowned Kenyan therapeutic foods manufacturer famous for its food supplements for malnourished people worldwide is expandeding its operations in West Africa through its base in Nigeria seeking. The food company aims to tap into the wider West African market through its operations in Nigeria. Insta’s therapeutic foods are a high calorie combination of peanut paste, sugar, oil and milk powder which is fortified with 23 vitamins and minerals. Severely malnourished people, who cannot digest solid food portions or receive supplements intravenously, feed on the supplement for six weeks before progressing to other foods. Insta Products has been operating for 16 years. Its products are distributed regionally but they are also shipped to needy individuals in countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan and Yemen among others places, Ariel Foods’ new Nigerian factory will be set up in Alaro City, a mixed-income development featuring industries, logistics, offices and homes in Lagos State. The city is backed by Rendeavour, Tatu City’s owner and developer. Rendeavour is also developing other similar cities in Africa including two in Ghana at King City and Appolonia, Kiswishi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Roma Park in Zambia. “Ariel Foods is proud to expand its production to Nigeria, and to play a major role in food and population security in West Africa through the production of ready-to-Use therapeutic foods to feed malnourished children and to supplement the diets of persons with special nutrition requirements,” said Dhiren Chandaria, owner of Ariel Foods. Chandaria also owns Kenya-based Insta Products which is a major supplier to UNICEF and World Food Programme relief initiatives. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu welcomed the Kenyan firm’s investment. “I am pleased to witness the start of operations of Ariel Foods, which has built a remarkable facility in less than one year,” he said. “The confidence of international and Nigerian investors is a testament to Alaro City as the location of choice for businesses in the Lekki Free Zone, and to the ease of doing business in Lagos State.” Insta, located in Athi River’s Export Processing Zone, produces food supplements for malnourished people. Ariel Foods, a renowned Kenyan therapeutic foods manufacturer famous for its food supplements for malnourished people worldwide is expanding its operations in West Africa through its base in Nigeria seeking. The food company aims to tap into the wider West African market through its operations in Nigeria. Insta’s therapeutic foods are a high calorie combination of peanut paste, sugar, oil and milk powder which is fortified with 23 vitamins and minerals. Severely malnourished people, who cannot digest solid food portions or receive supplements intravenously, feed on the supplement for six weeks before progressing to other foods. Insta Products has been operating for 16 years. Its products are distributed regionally but they are also shipped to needy individuals in countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan and Yemen among others places, Ariel Foods’ new Nigerian factory will be set up in Alaro City, a mixed-income development featuring industries, logistics, offices and homes in Lagos State. The city is backed by Rendeavour, Tatu City’s owner and developer. Rendeavour is also developing other similar cities in Africa including two in Ghana at King City and Appolonia, Kiswishi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Roma Park in Zambia. “Ariel Foods is proud to expand its production to Nigeria, and to play a major role in food and population security in West Africa through the production of ready-to-Use therapeutic foods to feed malnourished children and to supplement the diets of persons with special nutrition requirements,” said Dhiren Chandaria, owner of Ariel Foods. Chandaria also owns Kenya-based Insta Products which is a major supplier to UNICEF and World Food Programme relief initiatives. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu welcomed the Kenyan firm’s investment. “I am pleased to witness the start of operations of Ariel Foods, which has built a remarkable facility in less than one year,” he said. “The confidence of international and Nigerian investors is a testament to Alaro City as the location of choice for businesses in the Lekki Free Zone, and to the ease of doing business in Lagos State.” Insta, located in Athi River’s Export Processing Zone, produces food supplements for malnourished people. Insta, located in Athi River’s Export Processing Zone, produces food supplements for malnourished people.