Swailem Group intends to expand in food processing during 2023

Fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits, canned food, spices and dates are the most important products we export

The group is a leading supplier of meat, fish, poultry, butter and a number of luxury food products

The company plans to export Egyptian cheese, pasta, dairy products, biscuits and tuna

Swailem Group intends, during the coming period, to expand in manufacturing and further focus on creating added value to its various commodities and products, according to Manal Khalifa, Vice Chairperson of the group.

Khalifa told Commodity Market, in an interview, that the group relies on balance and a good market study to accurately determine the volume of expected demand without a deficit or surplus, as the group has a large number of qualified cadres in the field of supply chain and logistics.

She added that export is currently a lifeline for Egyptian companies and factories, and professionalism lies in how to access foreign markets, to control the trade balance, whether at the state level or at the corporate level.

Regarding the share of her company's exports, she said that this part is not only measured from the company's total sales, but rather the increase in profits and sales growth is considered one of the main pillars for expanding the business, explaining that the accuracy of sales records indicates market trends and declines through which the commodity can remain in the foreground, and the exporter must constantly compare the company's sales growth rate with market indicators such as inflation, GDP and data on consumption.

She pointed out that the Swilem Group is working to develop the export policy, directly or indirectly, so that it can follow up on global developments, through which the methods of developing the group’s products are identified to facilitate access to foreign markets, as the company exports its products to all Arab and European countries, and is currently interested in expanding in the African market.

Regarding the most important products exported by the company, she explained that agricultural crops come in the foreground, especially fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits, canned food, spices, and dates. There are also industrial products, including cheese, pasta, dairy, biscuits and Egyptian tuna, which enables the group to achieve a balance between agricultural and industrial products.

Global Challenges

And on how the group deals with global challenges, Khalifa stressed that in light of the changes taking place in the local and global economy, every businessman or businesswoman must anticipate what may happen in the market and plan to deal with it and exploit it for the benefit of their company and avoid being affected by its consequences. There are several points that remain common to the various sectors, the first of which is that in the event of a decline in sales or a large number of competitors, there becomes an urgent need to devise new ways to maintain high growth rates.

She pointed out that the smart person is the one who can push the company to reach these innovative solutions without an urgent need, by overcoming the current situation and seizing the available opportunities for development and progress, which distinguishes its products from others and makes it always at the forefront, advising companies to use their liquidity to finance a number of simple experiments, which enables it to continuously develop its products.

She added that the group's policy in this direction does not depend on focusing on projects and products that generate a high profit margin only, as it does not mind expanding its view of the market and looking at products that carry a reasonable profit margin, provided that it guarantees sales over the years and generates stable income.

She stressed that the measure of success is not limited to the number of units sold or the amount of profit earned during the product's issuance period, but also includes the continuity of selling the product at different periods and the development and modification of the product to keep pace with future customer requirements.

In the same context, she praised the state's efforts to advance the economy and continue to support companies in facing the negative effects and challenges facing the industrial sector in Egypt, stressing that the state has a supportive plan for many fields and industries and is working hard to develop many sectors, especially the agricultural sector, which is considered one of the most important productive sectors driving the manufacturing activity in the country, as it produces food commodities and raw materials needed for many food industries.

History, present and future

She pointed out that Swailem Group was established in the early eighties of the last century, and the group raised the slogan "the best, the most abundant and the closest", to become within a few years after its establishment the main supplier of meat, fish, poultry, butter and other luxury food products.