National Foods
National Foods, a Pakistani food company, has recently established its first overseas manufacturing facility in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), as part of its strategy to expand globally and enhance exports of food products.
The company, primarily involved in the production and sale of various food items such as pickles, ketchup, and desserts, considers the UAE its primary international market.
The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, National Foods DMCC, based in Dubai since 2012, played a crucial role in the Middle East market expansion. The subsidiary has now set up another subsidiary, National Foods (FZE), in Sharjah, UAE, to further support its international business goals. National Foods had successfully obtained a manufacturing license in the UAE to commence production.
Abrar Hasan, the CEO of National Foods, expressed that the new facility in Sharjah aims to improve market access, particularly in the Middle East, and facilitate the localization of products. The company intends to broaden its reach beyond the Gulf countries, with an existing presence in Canada, the UK, and the US.
During the last fiscal year, the company’s export sales witnessed an increase from Rs2.2 billion to over Rs2.4 billion, primarily to the UAE. The first three months of the current fiscal year saw an additional increase of Rs638 million in exports. Export sales contribute around 20% to National Food’s total turnover. Meanwhile, local sales remained consistent at around Rs40 billion during fiscal year 2023 compared to Rs36.6 billion in the previous year.
Pakistani analysts in the UAE attribute the rising demand for Pakistani products to the growing Pakistani diaspora in the Gulf countries. Danish Kazi, a financial and political analyst based in the UAE, emphasized the increasing numbers of the Pakistani diaspora in the Gulf, coupled with a growing demand for Pakistani products.
