Brazil's BRF Opens New $160 Million Food Factory in Abu Dhabi

Brazilian food company BRF has unveiled its $160 million (AED588 million) factory in Abu Dhabi, securing the employment of 1,400 workers.

The facility is located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) and sits on a land plot of 162,000 square metres, where it will produce 70,000 tonnes of product each year including pizzas, breads and many other foods.

Abilio Diniz, chairman of BRF, said: “The new plant represents one of the key foundations of BRF's strategy of commitment and investment to the Middle East region, a fast growing market that is most strategically placed for the internationalization process of BRF products."

Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, chairman of Kizad, added: "The opening of the food production plant represents a crucial landmark in our continuous efforts to enable development and trade, while diversifying the emirate's economy in line with Abu Dhabi's Economic Vision 2030.

"The fact that BRF is opening its biggest Middle East plant in Kizad confirms the zone's world-class business offerings, innovative logistics infrastructure and unprecedented access to global markets through our flagship deep-water Khalifa Port."

BRF plans to increase its proportion of revenues coming from the Middle East to 20 percent by 2020, up from the current level of around 17 percent. It already is the company’s biggest export destination, and has a strong presence in Halal products under its Sadia brand.