The Agricultural Growth and Processing Company, a subsidiary of Americana Holding for Food Ltd, is set to expand its business investing $100 million (SR375 million) in a Greenfield Frozen French Fries plant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

 

The new facility will be established on a plot exceeding 100,000 sq m and will employ cutting-edge equipment and advanced technology to produce Frozen French Fries and other specialty potato products. The plant is set to be inaugurated in Q1 2026 and will have a total annual production capacity of 70,000 MT during phase one, with plans for future expansion in the future. 

 

Upon commencing operations, this will mark the second joint venture partnership between Americana and Farm Frites and with the new facility underway in Sudair Industrial and Business City, we are set to become the largest producers of Frozen French Fries in the Mena region. 

 

Sudair Industrial and Business City

Following a strong three-decade partnership in Egypt with Farm Frites, a global leader in the cultivation of potatoes and production of Frozen French Fries, the new processing factory will be established in Sudair Industrial and Business City, pushing forward the partnership with Farm Frites to greater heights. 

 

To commemorate this significant milestone, the Agricultural Growth and Processing Company (Americana and Farm Frites) held a lease-signing ceremony on November 20, 2024, with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones in Modon Headquarters, in Riyadh, in the presence of Modon’s CEO, and hosted a Groundbreaking ceremony in Sudair Industrial and Business City on November 25, 2024, to mark the commencement of construction for the new Frozen French Fries processing plant. 

 

The event was attended by government and ministerial delegates, and key stakeholders, including local potato growers, valued global, regional and local customers and key strategic partners. 

 

The investment is a strategic step aligned with the Saudi Vision 2030 plans to diversify the kingdom’s economy, while also contributing to its food security agenda by boosting local production and creating employment opportunities for KSA nationals, local potato growers and farmers. 

 

The investment by the Agricultural Growth and Processing Company will enable the company to expand its footprint in KSA, wherein Americana has been operating for over two decades, with two factories in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

 

Trusted partner

Mohamed Ali Rashid Alabbar, Chairman of the Kuwait Food Company (Americana) KSCC, commented: “We are excited to start the construction of our new Frozen French Fries plant in Saudi Arabia. Our partnership with Farm Frites dates back over three decades having been partners in Egypt since 1988. We are delighted to be renewing our long-standing relationship with a trusted partner, this time in Saudi Arabia, and are proud to be contributing to KSA’s Vision 2030 and championing efforts to increase local production in KSA. 

 

“This was made possible through the vital support and collaboration of key government and institutional partners including but not limited to the Ministry of Investment, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and Modon, each playing a crucial role in our business expansion journey.”

 

Piet de Bruijne, Owner and Chairman of Farm Frites, commented: “We are thrilled to once again join hands with Americana, building on a 30-year partnership of mutual growth and shared success. Among the 100 countries where Farm Frites is present in the world, KSA stands as the 5th largest market globally, reinforcing our commitment to the Mena region and to KSA's growth and economic diversification. We remain dedicated to advancing the industry holistically, from agriculture and logistics to delivering superior value directly to our customers.”

 

Mohamed Safwat Moustafa, Managing Director of the Agricultural Growth and Processing Company, concluded: “I am proud and deeply honoured to kick off this landmark new development in KSA. With a commitment to delivering excellence, we aim to establish a world-class facility right here on Saudi soil. I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve some of the most renowned customers, both globally and regionally, with a superior range of French Fries products, proudly made in KSA. This new facility reinforces our dedication to quality, innovation, and the kingdom’s potential.”--TradeArabia News Service