Joint venture is Cargill's first investment in Saudi Arabia.

January 23, 2018

2 Min Read
Cargill, ARASCO open corn milling facility in Saudi Arabia

Through a joint venture between Cargill and ARASCO (Arabian Agricultural Services Co.), the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a new corn milling facility to meet the growing demand of the region's food and beverage industry.

Middle East Food Solutions Co. (MEFSCO Corn Milling Facility), inaugurated Jan. 22 in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, is Cargill's first investment in the kingdom. The investment marks the company's commitment to the Middle East's economy and support for the region's food and beverage manufacturers, Cargill said.

The MEFSCO facility was built to serve the Gulf Cooperation Countries, which include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. With the new plant, the joint venture is able to double its glucose and starch production capacities, triple total production volume and expand its product portfolio to include high-fructose corn syrup to meet the growing demand across the confectionery, juice, bakery and catering segments in the region.

Julian Chase, global Leader for Cargill starches, sweeteners and texturizers, said, "The Middle East food industry is one of the world's fastest-growing markets. The MEFSCO facility gives regional food and beverage manufacturers access to high-quality, innovative products produced specifically for them. ARASCO's local knowledge and supply chain infrastructure were crucial in our ability to design a facility that best serves local market needs."

The expansion allows MEFSCO to offer enhanced, market-specific solutions for Middle Eastern customers.

"In the Middle East, consumer awareness around food safety and hygiene is growing steadily. Cargill's expertise in processing agricultural commodities into high-quality sweeteners and starch-based products will provide our regional customers with an edge in making products that respond to this consumer trend," MEFSCO chief executive officer Ziyad Alsheikh said. "Customers will be able to serve the market's demand with products that MEFSCO will manufacture to the strictest food safety and hygiene standards in our state-of-the-art Al-Kharj facility."

Cargill provides food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services to the world.

MEFSCO is a joint venture between ARASCO and Cargill that manufactures, sells and distributes quality food ingredients throughout the Gulf region and empowers its customers with application solutions.

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