Al Islami Foods, the Dubai-based halal food producer, is planning a major expansion drive in Russia and the Caucasus region in a bid to tap their Muslim populations, estimated at 284 million.
Al Islami Foods, the Dubai-based halal food producer, is planning a major expansion drive in Russia and the Caucasus region in a bid to tap their Muslim populations, estimated at 284 million.
Al Islami Foods, the Dubai-based halal food producer, is planning a major expansion drive in Russia and the Caucasus region in a bid to tap their Muslim populations, estimated at 284 million.
The company is set to open two offices in Russia and Azerbaijan by the beginning of Ramadan next year.
“Our objective, at first, is to gain 1 per cent market share,” said Aziz Iraqi, the commercial director at Al Islami Foods. “But that would mean supplying nearly three million people, which is more than we do in the UAE now, so it will be a huge undertaking. The market is presently under-served and we believe there is a massive opportunity to deliver quality product to a demanding public.”
“We expect to make between Dh100 million to Dh200m in sales in the first two years,” said Mr Iraqi. “We have a new factory being built in Dubai Investment Park that will be ready by the end of 2014. The new facility will triple the production we can do now, so we will be able to provide between 1,000 and 1,500 tonnes of processed food every month. Our production strategy is geared so that we will be ready for the increased demand from the new offices and new customers.”
