The International Company for Agricultural Industrialisation Projects (Beyti) has increased its production capacity by about 200% within the last three years. This progress helped in achieving high sales growth rates, estimated at 150% during the same period. Managing Director of Beyti Mohamed Badran said the food industries sector has faced numerous difficulties during the last five years, notably the continuous increase in the prices of raw materials and the materials used in packaging. He added that Egypt relies on importing some of the materials used in manufacturing, related to the dollar availability, which witnessed large variables during the last period. Badran asserted that the lack of dollar and the increase in its price have directly affected the profitability of the companies operating in the agricultural industrialisation and food industries. This represents a huge challenge for these companies as they try to maintain quality without dramatic rises in cost. He pointed out that the food industries in Egypt are suffering from the lack of awareness on how to deal with food products. He explained that the product is released at a high quality from the production lines, but then encounters problems, mostly related to the methods of storage and transportation. Badran said Beyti is preparing to launch an awareness campaign that will include sellers, customers and workers in food industries, to define the proper ways to maintain the quality of the product from the moment it leaves the factory until it reaches the consumer. He revealed that the company has set a five-year plan for its new investments in the Egyptian market, whereby it aims to pump EGP 4bn, despite the variables and difficulties faced due to the economic and political environment. He emphasised that Beyti trusts in the Egyptian economy and believes that the current situation is temporary, adding that the market will restore its previous status as one of the largest emerging markets in the region. The company has expanded its industrial schemes, in which it managed to provide 900 jobs annually, with the number of the staff reaching 3,000 at the end of 2015, Badran said. He added that the company seeks to provide more 1,000 jobs this year. Beyti has nine distribution centres nationwide and has plans to increase that number. Badran affirmed that Egypt is still an emerging market, as its population vastly increases every year. This attracts more companies specialised in consumer goods, and encourages operating companies to expand. He revealed that the company started to export its products to a number of Arab and African countries, and it aims to increase its percentage in these markets in the upcoming period. Beyti has five production lines: the first is for producing Beyti Tropicana juice and Beyti Kol Youm, and the second for Marai Milk, Beyti Milk and Kol Youm Milk. The third is for producing milk in various flavours, the fourth for producing yoghurt and the fifth for cooking and whipping cream. Beyti is considered one of the largest dairy and juice producers in the local market. The Egyptian joint-stock company was established in 1998 with a stated capital of EGP 3.17bn and paid-up capital of EGP 966.5m. In 2009, Saudi Arabia's Almarai Company acquired Beyti from its founding shareholders, and in the same year Almarai and Pepsi signed partnership contract. International Dairy and Juice Co. Limited, owned by PepsiCo/Almarai Joint Venture, owns 100% of Beyti's shares.
