New ofi herb processing facility to meet growing demand and expand innovation capabilities

London

 

ofi opens new herb processing facility in Egypt to service global customer base for savory and culinary solutions.

 

ofi, a global leader in naturally good food and beverage ingredients, has opened a new herb processing facility in Beni-Suef, Egypt to enhance its customer offering in herbs.

 

Consumers are driving demand for herbs1 either for cooking at home or a wide range of savory and culinary category solutions including ready-to-eat meals, processed meats, sauces and flavourings and as standalone condiments.

 

Egypt is one of the biggest markets for the processing, exporting, and growing of herbs, with Upper Egypt providing the ideal growing conditions. The new ofi facility is expected to process 3,000 metric tons (MT) of herbs every year (basil, fennel, marjoram, parsley and dill) sourced directly from local farmers, and will also work closely with ofi’s global innovation centers to create optimal solutions for its international customer base.

 

 

1 https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/spices-herbs/what-demand

Brijesh Krishnaswamy, President for spices by ofi said: “Herbs play an important role in contributing to food’s color, fragrance, and taste, and potentially as a flavor replacement to sodium and sugar. With careful processing, dried herbs often retain a deeper, spicier flavor compared to their fresh counterparts, providing a convenient, shelf-stable ingredient for bulk buy. As such, choosing the right herbs—and where you acquire them from—is crucial in terms of retaining integrity and vibrancy. Our Egypt teams are focused on maintaining strong relationships with the farmers in our supply chain, advising on quality, while our innovation teams can demonstrate to our CPG, retailer and food service customers, the savory and culinary opportunities available, including in combination with our wider spices, nuts and dairy product portfolio.”

 

The new facility will operate under Dehydro Foods, a subsidiary business of ofi, and is expected to create 75 direct full-time jobs and source from around 1,000 farmers. The new site will work towards ofi’s sustainability goals of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, prosperous farmers and thriving communities.

 

ofi is the world’s number one producer of dried garlic and dried onions, as well as a global leader for chiles, pepper and tropical spices. ofi’s worldwide network and presence across in origin markets ensures spice blends and solutions are sourced from the best raw ingredients all year around. The company maintains oversight of growing practices and operates world class facilities for ingredient manufacturing. It works directly and transparently with farmer-partners, helping ensure higher-quality, sustainable spice solutions for reliable supply.

About ofi

ofi (olam food ingredients) is a new operating group born out of Olam. ofi offers sustainable, natural, value-added food products and ingredients so that consumers can enjoy the healthy and indulgent products they love. It consists of industry-leading businesses of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices. ofi has built a unique global value chain presence including its own farming operations, farm-gate origination, and manufacturing facilities. ofi partners with customers, leveraging its complementary and differentiated portfolio of ‘on-trend’ food products, to co-create solutions that anticipate and meet changing consumer preferences as demand increases for healthier food that’s traceable and sustainable. To subscribe to the ofi newsroom, please visit News & Events (privacy statement here). If you do not wish to receive information from ofi please contact media@ofi.com.

 

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About Olam Group

Olam Group is a leading food and agri-business supplying food, ingredients, feed and fibre to 20,900 customers worldwide. Its value chain spans over 60 countries and includes farming, processing and distribution operations, as well as a global network of farmers. By re-imagining global agriculture and food systems, Olam Group aims to address the many challenges involved in meeting the needs of a growing global population, while achieving positive impact for farming communities, our planet and all our stakeholders. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, Olam Group currently ranks among the top 30 largest primary listed companies in terms of market capitalisation on SGX-ST. Since June 2020, Olam Group has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a global sustainable investment index series developed by FTSE Russell, following a rigorous assessment of Olam’s supply chain activities, impact on the environment and governance transparency. The FTSE4Good Index Series identifies companies that demonstrate strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and is used by a variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds. More information on Olam can be found at www.olamgroup.com. Follow @olam.

Contact for ofi corporate communications

Nick Viner

Head of Media, ofi                     

nick.viner@ofi.com                                                    

+ 44 7721 160645