The processing plant has an annual capacity of 2,000 tonnes, and will help the company expand its operations and distribution throughout the Gulf. Arab & India Spices has an annual turnover of US$125m, and also operates facilities in Dubai and Sharjah in the UAE, along with offices in Qatar, Oman and India.
Long-term growth
“We are extremely proud to open the new plant in the company's Ajman premises. We have now diversified our activities from milling and grinding to processing of whole spices and consumer packing,” said Arab & India Spices managing director Harish Kumar.
“We are making investments to drive sustainable long-term growth, and this new plant is a crucial piece of our growth strategy to help us consolidate and expand our market share in the Middle East region,” he added.
The company imports the bulk of its raw pulses from Burma, Australia, Canada, the USA, China and India, while its spices primarily come from India, China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
“The Indian food products and spices are highly popular in the UAE and the region for its highest quality standards. Indo-GCC trade is vitally important to both regions for the continued prosperity of the market. The Gulf region is a major target market for India's main export of food products,” said Anurag Bhushan, consul-general of India in Dubai, who opened the new facility.
Diverse customer base
Arab & India Spices' Kumar said: "We have implemented global standards and quality control measures to ensure safety for foodstuff produced in our facility and marketed across the region. We already have state-of-the-art machinery including eight 'Z' category Sortex machines of UK origin, which help us to maintain the high standards of quality that we have set for our products.”
“Known for its hygienic packaging, stringent quality norms and competitive pricing, the range of products from Arab & India Spices has won a strong customer base including Indian and non-Indian residents, major hotel and restaurants and catering companies. We will continue our commitment to sustainable development, which we believe is a key driver of our success in future,” he added.