Mani & Company, one of the Middle East’s fastest growing producers of naturally nutritious fruit and nut snacks, has appointed Federal Foods as its new distributor in the UAE market.

“We have been looking for a new distribution partners in the UAE since establishing our Dubai headquarters last year, and we believe that we have found an excellent match with Federal Foods,” said Abouzar Rahmani, Mani & Co. managing director while announcing the news at the ongoing Gulfood 2010 expo.

Through this appointment, Mani & Co. will substantially increase its product availability in various outlets throughout the country and expand its overall share of the UAE market, he noted.

With 19 years experience in the UAE, Federal Foods is regarded as the top distributor in the UAE’s FMCG sector and has an accomplished history of working with retailers, wholesalers, and food service companies. The company is particularly strong in the Horeca sector, inclusive of hotels, restaurants and cafes.

Federal Foods was selected in part because of their reliability and history of working hand in hand with the trade and brand owners. The company has five branches in the UAE as well as regional offices in Oman and Qatar; a combined team of nearly 1200 individuals, Rahmani stated.

“Not only does Federal Foods have extensive reach and a foothold in the market, we also share a passion for excellence in all that we do, and in that sense we feel confident in their ability to represent Mani & Co. in distribution campaigns,” he added.

Mani & Co. recently announced an annual sales growth of nearly 40 per cent in 2009 compared to the previous year, and Federal Foods are expected to boost their distribution coverage particularly within retail outlets and food service locations.

In addition to exhibiting its current product line at Gulfood2010, Mani & Co. has also introduced two new product ranges to meet the market potentials identified for the upcoming year.

The company has outlined an ambitious growth plan to expand its sales four-fold during 2010; something that they will look to Federal Foods to help accomplish.

Umesh Agrawal, managing director of Federal Foods, said his team is in a unique position to help Mani & Co. meet its aggressive expansion plans for 2010.

“The FMCG sector is quite strong in the UAE, and there is a growing demand for specialty natural and healthy snacks. Mani’s high quality and wide range of products is well positioned to capture this trend. We are glad to be associated with Mani & Co. and are well positioned in meeting their aggressive growth plans,” Agrawal added.-TradeArabia News Service