People still gotta eat…Part I

People still gotta eat…Part I

The region’s food sector appears to be having a more palatable year than many other businesses, Part I.

October 27, 2009 3:49 by Alex Malouf

Brand activation

The past year has also been witness to the launch of dozens of new brands and the activation of more established names lacking in brand awareness. Arasco, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest poultry producers, serves as an example in the way it plans to build the equity of its chicken line Entaj.

“We’ve stepped up our efforts in terms of branding as well as activation,” explains Fahad Al-Zomaia, marketing manager at Arasco. “While Entaj is not a new name, we’ve looked to create awareness of our name among consumers, especially those who favor hypermarkets, where the trend is to buy frozen or chilled rather than fresh. Our activities have included outdoor as well as television advertising, and the focus is on the quality of the produce, all of which is home grown in Saudi Arabia.”

The emergence of local brands such as Entaj is proving to be a challenge for their multinational rivals, and Kraft’s Tikku admits that there’s little to distinguish between today’s leading regional and global names.

“There are some very good, very strong local brands across the region, such as Almarai. There aren’t many advantages a multinational has over a company such as Almarai. At Kraft, we have to rely on our heritage, in the trust that customers show towards us and in consumer loyalty. It’s difficult to say, however, that we are cleverer in marketing.”

First seen in Gulf Marketing Review magazine.

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Tags: branding, business, Financial Crisis, food industry, Gulf, marketing, Mcdonalds, Saudi