Northern Ireland Dairy Firm Succeeds in Buttering up the Saudis with ?1m Supply Contract

Belfast-based Greenfields Ireland Ltd has secured a £1million contract to supply retail butter to SADAFCO (Saudia Dairy and Foodstuff Company), one of the leading FMCG companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council region covering Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The contract was secured by Greenfields during a recent Invest Northern Ireland trade mission to the Saudi Arabian commercial centres of Riyadh and Jeddah. The dairy trading company supplies a broad spectrum of dairy products to customers throughout Europe, the Middle East, South America, the Far East and Africa. Through the contract, butter will be packed under the flagship brand Saudia, a major brand in Saudi Arabia.

This export order will be produced by local dairy processor Armaghdown Creameries in Banbridge which exports a significant part of its production and is a major employer in the area.

Charlie Miller, Greenfields Middle East Regional Director, said: "This is an important contract with a leading FMCG group which will strengthen our market position in the Arabian Gulf. Our relationship with local dairy processors enables us to offer high quality and competitively priced dairy products allowing us to compete in Saudi Arabia and other global markets.

"Our participation on Invest NI trade missions, aided by their advice and guidance in opening our Dubai office has been a major contributor in building our business in this region."

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director, welcoming the latest business for Greenfields, said: "This is another tremendous boost for the Northern Ireland dairy industry from a company with an excellent track record in global marketing operations.

"Greenfields has become one of the great success stories of our trade mission programme. Their work is in tune with the recent study of local dairying which recommended a much sharper focus on developing products for international markets. Greenfields is making a major contribution to the development of the industry through its highly professional activities in global markets.

"The contract is a further example of the excellent opportunities in Saudi Arabia for a very broad range of Northern Ireland products and services."