Mondelez International launches in KSA with plans to eat into Saudi Arabia market

Mondelez International's largest-selling iconic brands have been sold in the Kingdom for decades and include Kraft and Philadelphia Cheese, Tang, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Flake and Oreo. The company increased production at its Dammam plant earlier this year, which operates as a joint venture with the local Olayan Group, in response to strong demand for the company's products both within the Kingdom and across the GCC.

The plant employs approximately 70 people from six different nationalities, of which around 30% are Saudi nationals. The popular Oreo biscuit, which celebrated its 100th birthday this year, is made at the plant using over 50% of locally sourced ingredients and is exported across the GCC.

Vishal Tikku, managing director GCC and shared services, highlighted the significant growth opportunity of the Kingdom as one of the most dynamic and lucrative confectionary markets in the world to staff at the facility.

He said: "While our name might be new, we've had a strong heritage in Saudi Arabia for decades and millions of times a day consumers choose our iconic brands. We use our successful global approach, adapting global recipes to local tastes. Our inspiration comes from listening to consumers to create foods that fit their lives and we are committed to providing the same taste and quality to consumers in Saudi Arabia.

"This marks the start of a very exciting future as we become the world's largest chocolate and biscuit maker and steadily grow our market share in Saudi Arabia - one of our strategic markets in the region."

Kraft Foods Inc. changed its name to Mondelez International, Inc. after spinning-off its North American grocery business on Oct. 1st to create a high growth snacks business. The company name is a newly coined word that evokes the idea of a world of "delicious products."

The Kraft Foods Saudi Arabia division is part of the Mondelez International family of companies and certain legal entities within that division will change their names in due course, to reflect the name of the new global company.