Groundbreaking on the latest investments by Al Ghurair Foods — part of the Al Ghurair group of companies — took place in the Khalifa Economic Zones of Abu Dhabi (KEZAD).
On a 16-hectare (38-acre) plot, the company is planning a new integrated poultry facility. As well as a hatchery and processing plant, the operation will also have one of the largest rendering plants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and an effluent treatment facility. All these state-of-the-art facilities have been designed for maximum efficiency and sustainability.
With these latest investments, Al Ghurair Foods says it is contributing to the national food security strategy of the UAE for 2051, by boosting self-sufficiency in poultry meat.
Initial production targets have been set at 10 million day-old chicks from the hatchery, and processing of 10,000 metric tons (mt) of poultry meat products per year.
Domestic demand for chicken has been growing steadily, according to the company, and its new site will bring home-produced poultry products closer to UAE consumers.
Taking waste products from the poultry processing operation, the rendering plant will have an annual capacity of 1,600mt of high-protein meals and 400mt of fats. These are destined to become feed ingredients for fish, or alternative fuels for power generation.
Boosting UAE food security
At the ground-breaking ceremony, CEO of the Al Ghurair John Iossifidis said this latest investment is one element of a one-billion Emirati dirham (AED; US$272-million) investment in food processing facilities in the KEZAD zone.
It demonstrates the company’s commitment to food security, economic growth, and a sustainable future for the UAE, he said.
For Hamad Al Ghurair, senior vice-resident for special projects, the ability of the company to control the whole value chain is a key feature of the new facility. Furthermore, it will allow production to be ramped up as required, as it continues to contribute to the UAE’s food security goals.
Earlier this year, Al Ghurair Foods initiated construction of a broiler farm and a corn starch manufacturing plant, also in KEZAD.
More on Al Ghurair Group
According to the firm’s own web site, the Al Ghurair group was founded in 1960, and has become one of the largest and most diverse family businesses in the Middle East.
From its head office in Deira in Dubai, the company operates in seven industry sectors: foods, resources, property, construction, energy, mobility, and ventures. With a total workforce of around 28,000, it has businesses in more than 20 countries.
Selling under the brand Jenan, the Al Ghurair Foods’ poultry farm is among the largest egg producers in the UAE.
