Cargill and ARASCO Open Corn Milling Facility for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, January 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Through a joint venture between Cargill and ARASCO, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has a new corn milling facility to meet the growing demand of the region's food and beverage industry. The Middle East Food Solutions Company (MEFSCO Corn Milling Facility), inaugurated today in Al-Kharj, is Cargill's first investment in KSA. The investment marks the company's commitment to the Middle Eastern economy and support for the region's food and beverage manufacturers.

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More capacity, expanded portfolio 

The MEFSCO facility was built to serve the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), which include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. With the new plant, the joint venture is able to double its glucose and starch production capacities, triple total production volume and expand its product portfolio to include high fructose corn syrup to meet the growing demand across the confectionery, juice, bakery and catering segments in the region.

Julian Chase, global Leader for Cargill starches, sweeteners and texturizers said: "The Middle East food industry is one of the world's fastest-growing markets. The MEFSCO facility gives regional food and beverage manufacturers access to  high quality, innovative products produced specifically for them. ARASCO's local knowledge and supply chain infrastructure were crucial in our ability to design a facility that best serves local market needs."

Responding to consumer trends 

The expansion allows MEFSCO to offer enhanced, market-specific solutions for Middle Eastern customers.

Ziyad Alsheikh, Chief Executive Officer of MEFSCO, said: "In the Middle East, consumer awareness around food safety and hygiene is growing steadily. Cargill's expertise in processing agricultural commodities into high-quality sweeteners and starch-based products will provide our regional customers with an edge in making products that respond to this consumer trend. Customers will be able to serve the market's demand with products that MEFSCO will manufacture to the strictest food safety and hygiene standards in our state-of-the-art Al-Kharj facility."

Partnership 

The MEFSCO joint venture was established by Cargill and ARASCO, a leading food manufacturing in KSA, in 2013. The new starches and sweeteners facility marks the joint venture's first investment in KSA.

About Cargill 

Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 155,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com, and our News Center.

About MEFSCO 

Middle East Food Solutions Company - MEFSCO, is a joint venture between ARASCO (Arabian Agricultural Services Company) and Cargill. MEFSCO manufactures, sells and distributes quality food ingredients throughout the Gulf region and empowers its customers with application solutions. Combining Cargill's renowned quality standards and substantial experience in food ingredient development with ARASCO's key positioning as a leader in the Gulf region, MEFSCO aims to help food manufactures produce world quality products.