Brasil Foods to open $145m Middle East factory
The 1,743,000 sq ft factory, based in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) will produce meat products, marinated processed foods and other bread based foods, like pizza and pastry.
The facility is expected to be fully operational by 2014 and will have a production capacity of 80,000 tonnes a year.
Federal Foods Company
The deal, with Federal Foods Company, the local arm of Brasil Foods, was signed by Patricio Rohner, general director BRF Middle East of Brasil Foods and Khaled Salmeen, CEO and MD of Kizad.
Rohner said the decision to open a plant in Abu Dhabi was due to its transport infrastructure and its close ties with Khalifa Port.
"Our strategic agreement with Kizad will facilitate the access to global markets faster and more efficiently, giving us the competitive advantage and enhancing our brand penetration, distribution, and sales,” he said.
Expanding food portfolio
“Setting up in Kizad will allow Brasil Foods to produce local goods and processed foods customized to fit the local and regional demand, and expanding our food portfolio."
Based in Sao Paolo, Brasil Foods, was created after a $38bn merger between two meat packers, Sadia and Perdigao.
Salmeen added through Kizad's food manufacturing cluster, we support Abu Dhabi's Economic vision 2030 by increasing food production within the emirate through reducing dependence on imports.
Brasil Foods will benefit from Kizad's transportation infrastructure and proximity to Khalifa Port, the only semi-automated port in the Middle East, allowing them to tap into new markets and increase its business output.
