(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) While a relatively new concept it is fast making its way to more people and plates
Dubai — Organic food is gaining ground across the world and the Amira Group is ready to cash in on its popularity by increasing the company’s product range in Middle East and Gulf markets its top official says.
Karan A. Chanana chairman of the group said the Amira brand enjoys a strong presence across the GCCl and considers the UAE Qatar and Bahrain as potential growth markets in the region.
“Organic packed food is a relatively new concept; however it is a growing category in the Middle East markets. With such strong growth potential we are planning to launch our range of organic food across the region in the next few months” he told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of an event in Dubai.
The Amira Group which has a significant market presence in over 60 countries is ready to expand its presence in the region. It has strong distributor’s network with offices in Germany India Malaysia Nigeria Singapore the United Kingdom the United States and the UAE.
“Our initial focus in the first year will be distribution and brand building before we look at launching the organic range in other GCC countries” the chairman said.
“We are also working towards expanding Amira’s brand presence to new territories in the Middle East” he added.
Chanana has been instrumental in turning the company from a family-run operation with a turnover of $50 million into a professionally-managed global business with a turnover of $550 million. The company has consistently maintained top-line growth of 25 per cent for the past three years and made their initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012 becoming the first majority family-owned Indian business to list on the exchange.
At a glance
•The Amira Group has a significant market presence in over 60 countries and is ready to expand its presence in the Middle East.
•Its chairman Karan A. Chanana was instrumental in turning a company from a family-run $50 million operation into a global business with a $550 million turnover.
• The company made its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012 becoming the first majority family-owned Indian business to list on the exchange.
“Our current product range currently consists of various varieties of basmati including traditional basmati extra-long grain long-grain and brown basmati rice. We are also developing a new range of organic products including rice spices pulses RTE chocolates and a range of Amira-branded organic snacks” he said.
To a question Chanana said 2014 was an incredibly positive year for the Amira Group.
“We significantly expanded our activities in developed markets such as the US the UK and Continental Europe.
About the outlook for 2015 he said it is promising to be even more positive in terms of market growth and international expansion.
“A considerable amount of our focus will be upon entering new markets in the Middle East. In particular we will be expanding to Iran and Saudi Arabia two of the region’s biggest markets” Chanana said.
About the region’s premier food exhibition — Gulfood — he said the show is always an incredibly important date in the Amira calendar.
“Gulfood is one of the world’s largest food trade shows with recent shows featuring over 4500 companies providing us with a myriad of excellent opportunities to establish new relationships and continue to nurture our existing ones.
“Additionally Gulfood is seen globally as a benchmark in the global food industry. Therefore it is an integral platform for us to establish and consolidate brand awareness for the Amira Group particularly in the Middle East which is an incredibly important market to us” he said.
To a question he said Dubai is integral to the activities of the Amira Group.
“It is also our global headquartered. We have longed recognised the strategic importance of Dubai as a hub for any food company; not only is it the culinary epicentre of the Middle East but it is also rapidly making a name for itself a leading destination for foodies. Dubai will remain to the Amira Group for the foreseeable future” Chanana concluded.
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