Amira Nature Foods upbeat on Saudi trade

Amira Nature Foods, a global provider of packaged Indian specialty rice, will expand its network to Saudi Arabia during this year, Amira Group’s Chairman and CEO Karan A. Chanana told Arab News while explaining his company’s aggressive expansion plans.
“The Middle East market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world for natural and organic products because of increased awareness of the health benefits of going organic,” he said.
“We have plans to open over five offices in different countries by next month,” he added. He also shared his company’s plans to enter the organic and organic ready-to-eat food market.
“The product expansion into organic, snacks and ready-to-eat food has transformed Amira into a global food brand with presence in 27 countries, and with an overall footprint in 40 countries,” he explained.
The company plans to expand its footprint to over 70 countries by 2017. For Amira branded products, the target is to reach 50 countries from 27 countries Wednesday.
With its significant presence in packaged premium basmati and specialty rice in the Middle East, Amira now plans to introduce organic food and snacks in the UAE market in the near future. The company, headquartered in Dubai and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has set up its own organic business in India.
Chanana said he had plans to expand into the African market in addition to the increased focus on gaining larger market share across the EMEA region.
“Amira brand is one of the best known names in basmati rice, not only in the UAE and the Indian subcontinent but also in the entire Middle East, the United States, Europe, and South Asia,” he said.