What defines our success?
The United Foods Company journey began in 1976 when the famous Emirati serial entrepreneur and poet, Sheikh Sultan Al Owais, inaugurated the Gulf region’s first refinery for edible oils and fats, launching the first brand, Aseel. The refining capacity installed at that time, 700 MT/ per day, was more than enough, to cover all GCC+ Iran edible requirements. Quickly, quality earned trust among customers as the line expanded and the range grew to include Nawar, Safi, Mumtaz, and Super Sun – all becoming household names.
Owing to its achievements, United Foods was publicly listed in 2006, and the following year unveiled its Jebel Ali facility. With our finger on the pulse of the modern shopper, we diversified our offering and established our distribution arm in 2015, channeling beloved international brands such as Mondelez Ice Cream, Nestle Ice Cream, and the famous Flying Goose Sriracha line to our valued customers. Acquisition of the confectionary distributor Stratus (2021) further solidified our portfolio.
Working hard to keep the end user’s trust, we built a strong relationship with our consumer base, earning the top spot in market share for vegetable ghee and margarine in the UAE and propelling beyond. Today we export to 68 countries around the world.
Speaking about our journey to date, Fethi Khiari, CEO at United Foods Company, said, “Our success stands on three pillars: the quality of our products, our effectiveness in meeting the demands of an evolving market, and our insistence on sustainability in every facet of our work. The path to even greater success is to continue building on those pillars.”
As our business grows, so does our determination to prioritize sustainability. At every turn in the road, we are guided by our goals to build resilience, empower communities, promote a healthy society, and play our role in the circular economy. Delivering on those goals, we rolled out awareness programs, developed biodegradable packaging and, as of 2024, 40% of UFC production is powered by green energy thanks to our solar power plant.
Looking forward, we will continue to nurture relationships and listen closely to our customers, our partners, our stakeholders. Success is a journey we take together.
