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Baladna partners with global cheese producer Bel Group to expand dairy offerings in Qatar
Qatar’s leading food and dairy producer, Baladna, has announced a strategic partnership with global cheese and snack giant, The Bel Group. The landmark collaboration brings new opportunities for both companies, starting with the production of The Laughing Cow® cheese jars in 2023. Baladna also aims to produce more of Bel Group’s products in the near future.Producing popular products by international brands such as Bel not only reduces imports and supply chain disruptions, but also provides a more responsible, environmentally conscious option for Qatari consumers.Commenting on the partnership, Malcolm Jordan, Chief Executive Officer of Baladna, said: “We are pleased to sign this partnership with Bel Group, who are world leaders in cheese products. This collaboration will allow us to expand the dairy offerings in Qatar and provide customers with even more high-quality products. As a leading dairy brand in Qatar, Baladna is committed to supporting food sustainability efforts in the country. We are excited to benefit from Bel Group’s unparalleled know-how as we look to expand our range of dairy products and make international brands more accessible in the Qatari market. We believe this partnership will have a positive impact on the dairy industry in Qatar and improve consumer choices.”Garo Matossian, Chief Executive Officer at BEL for Near & Middle East, said: “The Bel Group is deeply committed to making our products accessible to new consumers and building sustainable partnerships with local producers around the world. This strategic partnership with Baladna in Qatar is an exciting step forward in our presence in the Middle Eastern Gulf, in line with our mission to deliver healthier and responsible food for all. We are proud to partner with Baladna – they are Qatar’s homegrown company. By combining their expertise with our delicious cream cheese, and our knowledge of cheese products, this partnership will enable us to offer consumers, delicious, nutritious, and accessible cheese products, and become a leader in the region’s fast-growing dairy market.”The partnership with Bel Group is part of Baladna’s ongoing commitment to expanding its successful production model and ensuring self-sufficient dairy production in Qatar. As a homegrown Qatari brand, Baladna is dedicated to providing high-quality, locally-sourced products to the Qatari market and promoting sustainable food production with minimal impact on the environment. The company already exports its dairy and juice products to countries across the region, including Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Oman.
Baladna has announced its sponsorship of the 13th edition of HH The Amir’s Sword Showjumping and Dressage Championship
For the fourth consecutive year, Baladna has announced its sponsorship of the 13th edition of HH The Amir’s Sword Showjumping and Dressage Championship, which will be held at the Al-Rayyan Racecourse at the Racing and Equestrian Club in Qatar from February 20 – February 22. The aim is to contribute to the continuity and development of equestrian sport in the country and organize and host tournaments that support, develop, and encourage the birth of a new generation of promising Qatari equestrians.A partnership agreement was recently signed between Baladna and the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club in the presence of Mr. Moataz Al-Khayyat, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Baladna, and His Excellency Mr. Badr Muhammad Al Darwish, President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation.This is the fourth consecutive time Baladna sponsors this championship as preparations for the event are in full swing amid anticipation and excitement to see who will come out victorious during the race. The championship is expected to be the biggest race at the club this season.Regarding the partnership, Mr. Moataz Al-Khayyat said: “We at Baladna are pleased to cooperate with the Racing and Equestrian Club through the sponsorship of HH The Amir’s Sword Showjumping and Dressage Championship, which is considered to be the most expensive horse racing festival in Qatar and the region and one of the most prominent sporting events in the nation.”“Our sponsorship of this prominent sporting event stems from our constant commitment to serving the Qatari community and investing in the Qatar National Vision 2030. Baladna continuously seeks to support and sponsor major sporting events in the country and contribute to securing Qatar’s position in the global sports arena,” he added.“Good luck to all participants in HH The Amir’s Sword Showjumping and Dressage Championship. We hope fans and the wider public enjoy the show.”The championship will be held across three days at the Al-Rayyan Racecourse with a sizeable number of participants. Several races will be held daily with different race lengths and various types of horses.
The Special visit of King of Malaysia to Baladna
Baladna was honored by the visit of His Majesty the King of Malaysia Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and His Royal Highness Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, the Crown Prince of Perlis, to Baladna Farms with their delegation on December 15. The visit follows a joint agreement between Baladna and several Malaysian companies to establish a state-of-the-art integrated dairy farm in Malaysia.Ambassador of Malaysia to the State of Qatar H.E. Zamshari Shaharan; Baladna board members, and representatives from Malaysia’s Touch Group Berhad and FGV Holdings Berhad were also present.
Baladna has won the 2022 MEIRA (Middle East Investor Award)
For the second consecutive year, Baladna has won the 2022 MEIRA (Middle East Investor Award), which held the 14th edition of its annual conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the first time since its inception. Through this award, Baladna has achieved recognition for its exceptional corporate reporting in the Middle East, obtaining first place in the digital category and second place in the print category.Several benchmarks were taken into consideration to ensure that the winning nominee adheres to the best practices in investor relations reporting, including content, design, user experience, engagement, accessibility, and navigation, among other things.Commenting on the achievement, Baladna’s Chief Financial Officer, Mister Saifullah Khan said: “I am honored to accept this distinguished award on behalf of the Baladna team. Being recognized for our IR reporting on a regional level truly highlights our dedication to adhering to the highest standards of reporting and governance. I would like to thank MEIRA for recognizing our efforts and a very special thanks to every member at Baladna who helped make this possible.”The Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) is an independent, non-profit organization aimed at promoting investor relations (IR) and international standards in corporate governance. The mission of (MEIRA) is to enhance the reputation, efficiency, and attractiveness of capital markets in the Middle East.READ MORE
Baladna signs deal to establish an integrated dairy farming business in Malaysia
DOHA: Baladna has entered into a shareholders’ agreement with Malaysian companies FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV) and Touch Group Holdings Sdn Bhd (TGH), to develop an integrated dairy farming business in Malaysia.The agreement was signed by Piet Hilarides, Chief Executive Officer of Baladna; Dato’ Mohd Nazrul Izam Mansor, Group Chief Executive Officer of FGV; and YM Raja Dato’ Idris Raja Halid, Group Chief Executive Officer of Touch Group Holdings, in the presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the ambassador of Qatar in Malaysia, Mr. Fahad bin Mohammed Kafood.Expected to be commercially operational by 2025, the project will produce 100 million litres of fresh milk per annum within the first three years and is expected to reach 300 million litres of fresh milk within 10 years. Based on Baladna’s highly successful “grass to glass” concept, the joint venture will be fully integrated, from crop production to feeding the cows, to the processing and sale of the highest quality fresh milk.Baladna will own 40% of the joint venture, FGV owning 40% and Touch Group will own the remaining 20%. The project, covering an area of 3,259 hectares in FGV Chuping Agro Valley (FCAV), is expected to involve an investment of circa QAR 3.6 billion in phase one.Commenting on the initiative, Piet Hilarides said: “As a partner, Baladna will use its extensive experience in fresh milk production and brand development to substantially improve Malaysia’s self-sufficiency in milk. We are delighted to be able to partner with FGV Holdings Berhad and Touch Group Holdings”FGV‘s Dato’ Mohd Nazrul commented: “This joint venture will be a springboard for FGV to become one of the world’s leading integrated and sustainable agribusinesses. As an organisation which is already involved in the food industry, our latest venture into this integrated dairy farming business strongly positions us in growing milk and dairy industry, thus strengthening our presence in the food industry,”“We hope that our participation in this joint venture would strengthen and add value to the composition of the shareholders of the joint venture, in line with the National Food Security Agenda,” said Raja Dato’ Idris of Touch Group.The project also aims to position FGV Chuping Agro Valley (FCAV) as one of the leading agro-valley hubs in Malaysia, creating more than 2,000 job opportunities via the integrated dairy farming business. For Baladna, Qatar’s largest locally owned food and dairy supplier with a production output of 500,000 litres of milk per day across more than 250 products, the initiative is part of an outward orientation towards key international markets. The initiative is part of Baladna’s ambition to become an international dairy producer.READ MORE
Baladna increases ownership in Egypt’s Juhayna to 10%
Baladna now owns 95.4 million QAR of Juhayna’s total shares.Qatar’s leading and largest dairy producer Baladna Company has increased its ownership stake in Egypt’s Juhayna Food Industries to 10.1 percent, in a deal worth 2.5 QAR million, which equates to $686,624.The 100%-owned Qatari firm has purchased 1.4 million shares in Juhayna, bringing the total investment in the latter to 139 million QAR, according to the Qatar Stock Exchange.The purchase of a 10.1 percent stake was made through a series of transactions between July 13, 2021 and March 6, 2022.In March, the Qatari dairy company acquired a five percent stake in Juhayna company for 67 million QAR. Juhayna is listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange.READ MORE
Baladna to establish an integrated dairy farm in Malaysia
Doha, Qatar, 28 March 2022: Baladna has provided a letter of commitment to enter into an investment partnership with Malaysian companies FGV Holdings Berhad and FELCRA Berhad to jointly establish a large-scale, state-of-the-art integrated dairy farm in the Northern Corridor Economic Region in Malaysia.The letter of intent was delivered on occasion of Prime Minister of Malaysia His Excellency Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s visit to Baladna Farm this week. H.E. and his accompanying ministerial delegation toured Baladna’s state-of-the-art facilities and met with His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Faleh Bin Nasser Bin Ahmad Al Thani, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as well as Baladna board members and top officials of the agricultural company to discuss their strategic collaboration.Commenting on the occasion, Piet Hilarides, Baladna CEO said: “We are honored to receive the Malaysian delegation at Baladna and extend our bilateral relationship in the agricultural sector. We are continuously working to reinforce Baladna’s international reach, in line with our dedication to consumer wellness through quality, locally-produced products.”The integrated dairy facility will be climate-independent, using world-class technology and quality management systems. Once production commences in 2024, it will operate at a capacity of 100 million liters of fresh milk by the first year of operations in the Chuping Agro Valley (CAV) in Perlis, on the border to Thailand.H.E. the Prime Minister noted: “The investment will generate over 2,000 new job opportunities during the initial phase of its first full year of operations, providing significant opportunities for domestic employment as well as addressing national food security concerns by reducing Malaysia’s reliance on milk and dairy imports.”During the delegation’s visit to Qatar’s largest producer of fresh dairy and beverages, Mr. Moutaz Al-Khayyat, Chairman of Baladna, added: “Our recent discussions with the Malaysian leadership team symbolize our growing success. We have invested in the best people, leading technologies and globally recognized practices to gain international recognition while showcasing Qatar’s resilience and capabilities in expanding its global footprint.”A crucial step in its international expansion plans, the new initiative aims to replicate Baladna’s success in Qatar, where the company bridged the gap in the dairy sector, helping the country achieve 100% self-sufficiency in milk and dairy.Last year, a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) between Baladna, FGV Holdings Berhad and FELCRA Berhad was signed to mutually invest in a fully integrated dairy farm and produce fresh dairy products in Malaysia. The parties agreed to advance Malaysia’s local production of dairy products and draw on Malaysian agricultural land as part of their joint venture.Given the deficit of domestic milk production in Malaysia, Baladna is also considering establishing a large-scale integrated dairy farm in the state of Pahang.READ MORE
Baladna acquires 5.0% equity stake in Juhayna Food Industries, Leading Dairy Company in Egypt
Doha: Baladna, a Qatar Public Shareholding Company, acquired a 5% stake in the Egyptian Juhayna Food Industries Company, which is listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange, through several purchases of shares from the market.In a statement published on the Qatar Stock Exchange website on Monday, Baladna said that the number of shares acquired amounted to about 47.117 million shares, with a total investment of about QR 67.085 million.The statement indicated that the investment decision was based on a very accurate analysis of the market that the company seeks to enter the Egyptian market, which is a large and promising market for the food and beverage sector with a population of more than 100 million people.Juhayna is expected to achieve greater returns in light of the expected market growth and the availability of a strong distribution network.Juhayna Food Industries is the Egyptian company specialized in the production, processing and packaging of dairy, juice, and cooking products.Since its founding in 1983, it has secured a frontrunner position in the dairy and juice industries in Egypt and has expanded its presence in the Middle East.Baladna also announced that it has signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) with Inter Plastic, one of the leading plastic packaging factories in Qatar, to supply plastic packaging material, that meet international standards and are locally manufactured.READ MORE