KEZAD, Emerging World to establish $30mn food products manufacturing facility

KEZAD_Emerging World PRAN manufacturing plant
Mr. Hasan Mahbub & Mr. Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed at agreement signing ceremony
By Arya M Nair, Official Reporter
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Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) Group, has signed an agreement with Emerging World, the sole importer of products by PRAN-RFL Group, a Bangladeshi multinational consumer goods company, in the Middle East region, to establish a PRAN manufacturing plant to cater to local and regional markets.

PRAN’s $30 million facility, being developed in multiple phases, will spread across more than 42,000 square meters in KEZAD with direct access to AD Ports Group’s flagship Khalifa Port. It will enable Emerging World to locally produce and export its products to free trade markets throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestine, Syria, Libya and Yemen. The land lease agreement with KEZAD Group has been signed for a period of 30 years.

With almost a third of PRAN’s production capacity from the facility catering to the local market, and 70 percent to be exported to the regional markets, PRAN will play a vital role to ensure food security in the region through Abu Dhabi.

Mohamad Al Khadar Al Ahmed_KEZAD to establish food manufacturing plant
Mohamad Al Khadar Al Ahmed
CEO – KEZAD Group

“KEZAD Group is delighted to welcome Emerging World FZC, and enable the development of this new manufacturing facility within our expansive food trade ecosystem, an environment that ensures that businesses can thrive in today’s competitive market. Emerging World FZC shares our mission on the importance of securing national and regional supply chains, in line with the vision of our wise leadership to improve access to affordable healthy diets for people across communities.”

Mr. Hasan Mahbub, Managing Director of Emerging World FZC, said that “Our agreement with KEZAD Group aims to boost our export to Middle Eastern countries and the establishment of the Emerging World FZC’s manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi is a significant milestone to expand our business. An initial investment of $16.3 million will be made to set up the manufacturing facilities, with the production of different food products including instant noodles, milk-added drinks, fruit drinks and confectionery products under the PRAN brand. Initially, we expect production revenue to be in the region of $43.5 million per annum.”

PRAN (Program for Rural Advancement Nationally) pioneered agribusiness in that market in 1981, by providing farmers with guaranteed prices. Since then, PRAN-RFL Group has become one of the largest food and beverage, agribusiness and plastics manufacturers and exporters in South Asia.

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