Rafi Agri Foods International,  a leading agri-commodity trading firm based out of the SAIF Zone and partner of Canadian-based Ronald A Chisholm,  has acquired a 20 per cent stake in Delta Food Industries, a growing food manufacturing concern in the UAE.

The partnership with Rafi Agri Foods is in line with Delta’s recently announced strategy to invest  Dh40 million ($10.8 million) for the expansion of its production lines and food plants over an area of 110,000 square feet in addition to the existing facilities, said a statement.

Saudi Salim Al Mazrouei, director of Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) and Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA), said: “We are happy to support Delta Food Industries and Rafi Agri Foods  in their expansion and endeavours.

“We have begun the New Year with optimism and are confident that the free zone  will become the destination of choice for high-quality traders and investors alike.”

Shiraz Osman, director and founder of Delta, said: “Rafi Agri Foods has been a key supplier of various agri-commodities and raw materials since we commenced operations. This partnership will allow us to leverage Rafi Agri Foods’ relationships with suppliers around the world and improve our competitiveness in the industry.

“Additionally Rafi Agri Foods’ knowledge and insight into the dairy industry in particular will benefit Delta’s future expansion plans into this field.”

Delta also has plans on penetrating into new markets like West Africa this year with the existing and new range of products, he added.

Delta exports more than 250 containers per month and has built a network of distributors in over 16 countries around the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, said the statement.

This year, the firm is targeting expansion into the production of evaporated milk, sterilised cream, and re-packing of other basic commodities such as tea and oats, he added while thanking SAIF zone its continuous support.
 
S A M Jaffari, chairman of Rafi Agri Foods, said: “Our partnership with Delta is a natural extension to our existing business. This decision allows us to move up the value chain and get closer to the end consumer. We believe that Delta has a bright future ahead and we are delighted to be able to partake in this opportunity.” - TradeArabia News Service