Unit renamed from Sadia Halal to cover the Islamic market
dubai Brazil-based BRF launched the operations of OneFoods, its subsidiary dedicated to the halal market, in January. Previously called Sadia Halal, OneFoods will operate in an estimated market of 1.8 billion people whose economic and demographic growth exceeds the world average.
“By creating a local company to consolidate our operations in Islamic markets, we moved further up the production chain to get closer to our consumers, which should support the accelerated growth of OneFoods,” said BRF CEO Pedro Faria.
OneFoods has a market share of approximately 45% in chicken products in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. It operates in these markets with its own distribution and a broad product portfolio. The products are sold under market-leading brands including Sadia, which is top of mind among food brands in Middle Eastern countries.
“If you ask which is the number one halal food brand in the Middle East, the answer is Sadia,” said Faria.
“This is a fantastic asset that shows how close we are to consumers and just how confident they are in the quality and origin of our products. We’re talking about a relationship of over 40 years, given that the first container of Sadia products arrived in the region in the 1970s,”
With registered office in Dubai, UnitedArab Emirates, OneFoods has around 15,000 employees and a fully integrated production chain. Products are supplied by 10 plants, 8 of them in Brazil, one in the United Arab Emirates, and one in Malaysia, all holding the required halal certifications.
“The subsidiary’s operations are fully integrated, which gives OneFoods a unique position in terms of production costs compared to its competitors,” said Faria.
PatricioRohner, BRF general manager in the Middle East and North Africa, will be the leader of OneFoods.
The executive works at BRF and has been living in the region for over 15 years, where he has acquired vast knowledge of local dynamics, consumer habits and commercial practices.