Almarai signed a new deal with King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) for the purchase of 461,703 square meter land at the city’s Industrial Valley (IV) to establish a new dairy facility involving manufacturing, packaging and distribution.

Almarai’s latest investment is part of its expansion and growth plans. Earlier, the world’s largest vertically integrated dairy company purchased 200,000 square meter land at KAEC IV in 2012 to establish a new bakery manufacturing facility.

Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, CEO, Almarai, expressing his delight over the partnership with Fahd Al-Rasheed, MD and CEO of KAEC, said: “We are happy to have Almarai at KAEC’s Industrial Valley, a key location in its strategic expansion plans. We are providing state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities at KAEC, and manufacturers have the key advantage of being located close to King Abdullah Port, which gives them a keen competitive edge in distributing and exporting products.”

Al-Rasheed said: “There are numerous advantages for local and global companies, which create a unique atmosphere for investments and resulted in complete sellout of industrial lands in the first stage of Industrial Valley-Phase 2.

These advantages include clear and business-encouraging regulations and hassle-free processes, ease of issuing permits and licenses and the possibility of providing qualified manpower through training centers for Saudi talents. The availability of housing solutions within the vicinity of the Industrial Valley and the direct link with King Abdullah Port makes the Industrial Valley a global logistical hub and an access point to reach about 250 million consumers in the Middle East and North Africa region, in addition to the availability of Haramain Railway station in KAEC.”

KAEC is one of the largest and most important private sector initiatives in the Middle East, encompassing a total area of 168 million sqm along the Red Sea coast.