Almarai has been on an expansion spree to diversify its product range. Reuters
Almarai has been on an expansion spree to diversify its product range. Reuters
Almarai has been on an expansion spree to diversify its product range. Reuters
Almarai has been on an expansion spree to diversify its product range. Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s Almarai acquires Binghatti's beverage production unit in UAE for Dh215m


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

Saudi Arabia's Almarai, the biggest dairy company in the Middle East, is buying Binghatti Beverages Manufacturing's production facility in the UAE for Dh215 million ($58.54m) as it continues to expand its product range.

The transaction, which is subject to obtaining certain regulatory approvals, will be fully financed from Almarai's operating cash flows, the company said in a statement on Wednesday to the Tadawul stock exchange, where its shares trade.

“This acquisition will enhance Almarai’s ability to serve its customers by expanding the range of beverage products in the region.”

Binghatti Beverages is part of Dubai-based Binghatti Holding, which operates in multiple sectors including real estate, hospitality, consumer goods and construction, among others. The value of its real estate portfolio exceeds Dh3.5 billion in value, according to the company's website.

Almarai has been on an acquisition spree to diversify its product range as the Middle East region sharpens its focus on food security.

Last month, Almarai's subsidiary Western Bakeries Company bought an additional stake in Riyadh-based snacks maker Modern Food Industries for 150m Saudi riyals ($40m).

Following the deal, Western Bakeries Company’s stake in Modern Food Industries rose to 75 per cent, Almarai said on May 9.

Almarai also acquired Bakemart's business in the UAE and Bahrain for $25.47m in March. Bakemart produces bakery items and frozen foods for the retail and hospitality industry in the Middle East. It also runs a number of its own food retail and cake shops.

Almarai's first quarter net income rose slightly to 385.9m riyals on a 1.46 per cent increase in revenue to 3.64bn riyals.

In April, the company said it spent 299.1m riyals on investment activities in the first quarter, although this was about 45m riyals lower than the same period last year before movement restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19 were enforced.

Other food and beverage companies across the region are also increasingly evaluating acquisitions to drive growth and boost profit.

Abu Dhabi’s Agthia Group, one of the region’s top food and beverage companies, recently completed its merger with date-processing company Al Foah.

Agthia also bought Kuwait’s Al Faysal Bakery and Sweets as well as stakes in Jordan-based processed meat producer Nabil Foods and Egypt's Ismailia Investments to expand its footprint across the region.

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Key developments in maritime dispute

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier. 

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai, 
HBKU Press 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Classification from Tour de France after Stage 17

1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 73:27:26"

2. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac) 27"

3. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R La Mondiale)

4. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) 53"

5. Mikel Landa (Spain / Team Sky) 1:24"

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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The bio

Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home

The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ

Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700

Engine 3.0L V6

Transmission Eight-speed automatic

Power 340hp @ 6,000pm

Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km

MATCH INFO

Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)

Manchester United 0

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champioons League semi-final:

First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2

Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)

Tank warfare

Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks. 

“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.

“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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RESULTS

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