Category: Saudi Arabia
Opinion: The problems facing Muslim nations
Most Islamic countries are being left behind in social progress as compared with other nations. There are essentially five reasons for this situation.
Saudi Arabia: Cafes promote a new culture of dialogue
The growing number of coffee shops in Riyadh gives a different dimension to the city because as they are no longer simply a place for relaxation and comfort but offer facilities to discuss sports, culture, science, technical issues and finance. They sometimes solve some dilemmas of society.
GCC investing in food security in Pakistan, India and others
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) governments are investing heavily in outside farmland acquisitions and leases, along with injecting money in domestic food production industry, to secure food supplies to the region and safeguard against market fluctuations.
Saudi Arabia: Saudi delegation seeks food products from Pakistan
The Saudi delegation’s plan is also to visit the meat exporting companies’ facilities in different Pakistani cities with an aim to award licenses to them and above all to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state-owned Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). The plan is to boost exports of a range of food commodities from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, mainly meat, poultry and fish products.
USA: Muslim Consumer Group Presentation at Riyadh’s Halal conference
Syed Rasheeduddin Ahmed, founder & President of Muslim Consumer Group For Food Products USA/Canada presented a paper on Processing Aid or Hidden Ingredients in Food Products & ingredients and their Halal status from US food industry point of view at First International Conference on Halal Food Control at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
UK: HMC Delegation returns with assurances from CEO of SFDA
Presenting his report to the HMC National Executive Committee, Shaykh Yunus said; “This was a
very important conference for the Muslim community around the world and we congratulate the Saudi Drug and Food Authority for an outstanding conference and wonderful hospitality.”
USA: McDonald’s to open 100 new outlets in Middle East
At the largest food trade fair in the Middle East, Gulfood, it was revealed that McDonald’s is expected to open 100 new outlets this year with a particular focus on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Currently, the Golden Arches has 833 restaurants in 17 markets in the Middle East and Africa – a growth rate of between 10 to 15 per cent every year.
Saudi Arabia: Private Equity firms buy key stake in Saudi food group
Levant Capital, an investment firm focused on regional private equity investments and Citi Venture Capital International (CVCI) said they have jointly acquired a controlling stake in Saudi-based Al-Raya For Foodstuff Company for $100 million. The transaction presents an opportunity for Levant Capital and CVCI to capitalize on the growth in consumer-driven demand and the increasingly attractive middle income segment of the Gulf region’s largest economy.
Saudi fast food market to hit $4.5bn by 2015
Saudi Arabia’s fast food market is expected reach a value of $4.5bn in the next three years, driven by high demand among young, affluent citizens, according to a report by Euromonitor. “Fast food outlets have become important social spaces for a growing cohort of Saudi young people,” said Michael Schaefer, head of consumer foodservice research at Euromonitor.
Saudi Arabia: Young Saudis find home entertainment cheaper and safer
Young Saudi men and women are increasingly turning their own private rooms into entertainment hubs as a way of saving themselves from boredom. They equip their rooms with DJ turntables and other entertainment spots such as billiard tables, sound systems, electronic equipment and others.
Saudi Arabia: Sweet success as Mars invests SR225m in KAEC
In a sign of growing confidence in the Kingdom’s economic stability, Mars Incorporated, a global food giant with annual sales exceeding $30 billion, announced on Wednesday SR225 million ($60 million) initial investment to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh, about 130 km north of Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia: Food exporting countries urged to heed Halal norms
The First International Conference on Halal Food in Riyadh concluded on Tuesday, calling on non-Muslim countries exporting food to Islamic countries to strictly adhere to Islamic regulations with regard to ensuring products are halal.
Saudi Arabia: Need for halal standards for food additives underlined
Mian Nadeem Riaz from Texas said that for the food industry to serve the halal market, it is very important that they know the halal status of additives. He pointed out that some of the common additives are derived from sources that are not halal, for example pigs and animals slaughtered without abiding by religious directives.
Saudi Arabia: Scientists, scholars to redefine Halal
The main sessions will focus on genetically modified food, lawfulness of food additives, analysis methods of halal food, control of halal food, its standards, certification and countries’ experiences in halal food control.
Saudi Arabia: Brazilian commercial mission in Riyadh to spur Saudi trade
Forty-seven Brazilian companies from the sectors such as food, beverages and agribusiness; machinery and equipment; and house and civil construction aim boost trade ties with potential local buyers from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia: Sattam inaugurates halal food event in Riyadh
Riyadh Governor Prince Sattam opened an international conference on halal food in the capital here on Sunday. The Saudi Food and Drugs Authority organized the three-day conference focusing on monitoring halal food. In his address, Executive President of SFDA Muhammad Al-Kanhal stressed the need to monitor imported food.
Saudi Arabia: Riyadh meeting to clarify the concept of halal food
SFDA has brought scientific and religious scholars to a common platform to explore new ways of improving the global halal food industry and to chalk out a mechanism to maintain a uniform check on the quality as well as the regulations adopted by the local authorities to ensure that the food consumed is halal.
Saudi Arabia: Experts to discuss Halal food at conference in Riyadh Sunday
King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, will patronize here Sunday the first global conference on Halal food held by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. The conference will come up with recommendations on the best ways to monitor food, lay down Halal food requirements, and seek to foster trade relations between participating countries.
Contemporary art show in Saudi Arabia could herald a new movement
Usually it is the job of an art historian to pinpoint when an art movement begins. But last month, on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, the overwhelming feeling among visitors to a ground-breaking exhibition of Saudi contemporary art was that they had witnessed the birth of something new.
Saudi Arabia to probe delay of tests on imported food
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) plans to launch an investigation into the delay of some of its laboratories in completing tests on food products coming into the country, Saudi Gazette has reported. The move follows complaints from a number of businessmen and importers that their perishable products expire while the tests are still being done.
