Saudi food and beverage company Almarai has announced plans to invest more than $4 billion through 2031 as part of a new growth strategy focused on expanding capacity, entering new categories and increasing its presence in priority markets.

The company unveiled its 2026-2031 strategy at a capital markets day in Riyadh attended by investors, bankers, analysts and other members of the business community.

One of the region's largest food and beverage manufacturers and distributors, Almarai said the sets out four priorities for the company’s next phase of growth: strengthening its core categories, expanding selectively into promising new categories, growing in channels such as foodservice and e-commerce, and expanding in priority markets. 

The five-year strategy builds on decades of investment in brands, manufacturing, supply chains and people, and reflects the company’s ambition to create sustainable value for consumers, customers, employees, shareholders, and the communities it serves.

This ambition is underpinned by a significant investment program, with Almarai planning to deploy more than $4 billion over the strategy period to support capacity expansion, strengthen its capabilities, and enable the next phase of sustainable growth, it stated.

Its strategy will focus on strengthening its core categories, selectively expanding into new ones, growing in channels such as foodservice and e-commerce, and expanding in priority markets.

The planned investment will support capacity expansion and strengthen the company's manufacturing, supply chain and other capabilities, Almarai said.

Commenting on the strategy, CEO Fawaz Aljasser said: "Our new growth strategy is supported by our trusted brands, industry-leading capabilities, and one of the region’s most integrated food and beverage platforms. Today, we are entering the next phase of our journey from a position of strength."

"Importantly, our ambition extends beyond financial performance. We are investing to broaden consumer choice, enhance supply chain resilience, and strengthen local manufacturing," he noted.

"We believe that Almarai’s combination of trusted brands, operational excellence, scale, and resilience positions us well to capture the significant opportunities while continuing to deliver the quality and value that consumers expect," he added.

The new opportunities Almarai aims to capture are driven by long-term growth trends across the food and beverage sector, increasing consumer demand for high-quality products, and the company’s differentiated capabilities spanning manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, consumer-centricity, and innovation.

The Saudi F&B giant pointed out that its strategy was aimed at broadening consumer choice, improving supply chain resilience and strengthening local manufacturing.

The long-term growth in the food and beverage sector, rising consumer demand for high-quality products and its capabilities in manufacturing, distribution and innovation would support the next phase of growth, it added.-TradeArabia News Service