Amna Puri-Mirza
Research Expert covering the Middle East
Almarai company - statistics & facts
Almarai has established itself as a household brand in the Middle East, recognized for its high-quality products. Renowned for its extensive portfolio of products ranging from dairy and juice to baked goods, the brand continues to lead not only the Saudi market but also the Middle Eastern food and beverage market. In 2024, Almarai ranked fourth among leading dairy processors worldwide, with a brand value of around 3.9 billion U.S. dollars.
In 2009, Almarai and PepsiCo announced they would be forming a joint venture, International Dairy and Juice Limited, known as IDJ. After that came the acquisition announcement of the Egyptian International Company for Agro-Industrial Projects (Beyti), specializing in dairy and juice products. The brand name Beyti was kept because of its wide recognition in Egypt and continued to operate under its name as a subsidiary of the IDJ joint venture. During that year, Almarai also moved into the poultry market.
Today, the brand offers more than 600 products across seven brands and operates in all countries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in addition to Egypt and Jordan. Saudi Arabia continues to be by far Almarai’s top revenue-generating market. The dairy segment continues to be the top contributor to Almarai’s income. The revenue from the dairy segment reached around 11.35 billion Saudi Riyals in 2023. The company’s flagship brand Alyoum has also led the poultry market across the GCC , with an exceptionally high market share in Kuwait of 87 percent.
The Almarai brand remains a market leader across several F&B categories in the MENA region, especially in the GCC. However, the brand faces several challenges ahead. The Middle Eastern dairy and food market is highly competitive, with global giants like Nestlé and Danone and regional players such as SADAFCO vying for market share. Fluctuations in raw material costs, such as feed for dairy cows, packaging materials, and energy, can also significantly impact production costs. Moreover, consumers’ shifts in taste, purchasing habits such as online shopping, and demand for convenience products require constant adaptation. Continuing to place customers at the center should be key moving forward.
Brand evolution
Almarai was founded in 1977 in Saudi Arabia – a time when there was little infrastructure for the production and sale of milk in the Kingdom. Through setting up several facilities in regions across Saudi Arabia, Almarai was able to help local farmers produce and distribute milk. In the early 90s, Almarai underwent a period of restructuring and reinvestment, moving from a decentralized to a centralized structure. Additionally, small dairy farms scattered across the Kingdom were replaced with large dairy farms in one central region.In 2009, Almarai and PepsiCo announced they would be forming a joint venture, International Dairy and Juice Limited, known as IDJ. After that came the acquisition announcement of the Egyptian International Company for Agro-Industrial Projects (Beyti), specializing in dairy and juice products. The brand name Beyti was kept because of its wide recognition in Egypt and continued to operate under its name as a subsidiary of the IDJ joint venture. During that year, Almarai also moved into the poultry market.
Today, the brand offers more than 600 products across seven brands and operates in all countries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in addition to Egypt and Jordan. Saudi Arabia continues to be by far Almarai’s top revenue-generating market. The dairy segment continues to be the top contributor to Almarai’s income. The revenue from the dairy segment reached around 11.35 billion Saudi Riyals in 2023. The company’s flagship brand Alyoum has also led the poultry market across the GCC , with an exceptionally high market share in Kuwait of 87 percent.
The Almarai brand remains a market leader across several F&B categories in the MENA region, especially in the GCC. However, the brand faces several challenges ahead. The Middle Eastern dairy and food market is highly competitive, with global giants like Nestlé and Danone and regional players such as SADAFCO vying for market share. Fluctuations in raw material costs, such as feed for dairy cows, packaging materials, and energy, can also significantly impact production costs. Moreover, consumers’ shifts in taste, purchasing habits such as online shopping, and demand for convenience products require constant adaptation. Continuing to place customers at the center should be key moving forward.
