Arla Foods is making a major investment in its Bahrain production site to boost its position in the cheese glass jar category across the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with the popular spreadable cheese sold under the Puck brand.
Demand is especially high during Ramadan and back-to-school seasons, and during these peaks production at the site in Bahrain is almost at capacity. And in just a few years, the two occasions will take place at the same time due to the date change of Ramadan.
In order to future-proof for expected growth in demand, the farmer-owned cooperative is investing €50.9m to increase production capacity of the spreadable cheese jars.
Lillie Li Valeur, executive vice president of international at Arla Foods, said: “We have one of the most well-known and loved dairy products in the region and we are proud to be part of families’ cooking whether it’s during the everyday rush or for special occasions.
“We know that demand peaks at certain times during the year and in order to accommodate that and maintain the favourability we have with customers and consumers, we are now investing significantly in expanding our production.”
The investment will add approximately 30% to the current production capacity.
Construction is set to begin end of 2025.