National Food Products to set up new manufacturing plant in Abu Dhabi

UAE-based food producer National Food Products (NFPC) will establish a manufacturing facility in the food manufacturing cluster of Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), with an initial investment of AED1.5bn.

An agreement to this effect was signed at the Gulfood exhibition 2014 at Dubai’s World Trade Centre.

The Kizad-based plant will spread over 8,093,469ft² area of prime industrial land, strategically located mid-way between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Ground breaking for the factory is expected to take place in the second quarter this year, and the plant will go onstream during the first quarter of 2017.

NFPC president and CEO Fady Antonios said, "The establishment of the mega facility at Kizad is a key milestone in developing our operational capabilities to enable a new paradigm of growth for our market leading brands in the food and beverage sector.

"The location of Kizad between the two largest economies of the UAE coupled with access to the Etihad Rail and Khalifa Port will create a strategic advantage for us to reach existing and new markets efficiently."

Kizad CEO Khaled Salmeen said, "Kizad, with the much valued support of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Abu Dhabi’s Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), is able to attract local, regional and international industrial investors, due to the availability of its excellent infrastructure."

NFPC, established in 1973 as a division of Bin Hamoodah Group, is engaged in manufacturing, selling and distributing dairy products, fruit juices and drinking water under the Oasis, Blu, Milco, Lacnor and Gulf & Safa brands.

Kizad is considered to the fastest-growing cluster specific industrial zone in the Middle East.

Last year, the industrial zone announced the addition of Brazilian food processing firm BRF Brasil Foods, which is nearing completion of its AED533m facility that will produce meat products, marinated processed foods and bread-based foods.

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Image: The deal was signed at the Gulfood exhibition 2014 at Dubai’s World Trade Centre. Photo courtesy of Abu Dhabi Ports Company.