SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Recent stories from sustg

  • The Good Stuff
     

    So, Walid, this Saudi student at the University of Southern California was in Pennsylvania talking with some Amish farmers about their camels… A lot has been made of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) established in 2005 to encourage Saudi students to study abroad. It is a truly ambitious enterprise that has propelled 150,000+ Saudi […]

     
  • ‘Observe Ramadan in the true spirit of Islam’
     

    Imams in mosques throughout the Kingdom, including those in Makkah and Madinah, welcomed on Friday the holy month of Ramadan with an immense sense of piety and requested their respective congregation to strictly follow the teachings of the Holy Qur’an during the fasting period. The Supreme Court in Riyadh called on all Muslims in the […]

     
  • Mecca has five times more hotel rooms than any other Saudi city
     

    Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca has more than five times as many hotels as any other city in Saudi Arabia, according to a lengthy report on the Saudi tourism sector in Arab News. That report highlights the growth in the hotel industry – put at 172 percent  in the last decade – especially to tourist destinations […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Export Figures are Just Numbers on Paper
     

    During the past few weeks, we have heard in statements from Saudi officials that Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports are increasing. In 2013 alone, the value of Saudi oil exports increased by 6.7%, while non-oil exports increased by 2.4%. From 2003 to 2012, total non-oil exports increased from SAR 350 billion to 1.4 trillion.

     
  • $7 Billion Deal Inked Between U.S.-Based Fertilizer Giant Mosaic Company and Ma’aden, SABIC
     

    U.S.-based fertilizer giant Mosaic Company signed a $7 billion contract with Saudi Arabia Basic Industries (SABIC) and the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) for a 3.5 million ton phosphate operation in the Kingdom, according to a press release issued today. “The estimated $7 billion greenfield project, to be known as Wa’ad Al Shamal, or Northern Promise, Phosphate Project, […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry Cracks Down on Counterfeits In Boost to Consumer Protection
     

    This week, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) issued a press release on the Ministry’s Web Site that authorities had seized over 6,000 counterfeit cellphones. Looking to send a message to would-be counterfeiters and violators of consumer protection regulations, MCI authorities placed the forged phones in a pile then drove over them all […]

     
  • A Kingdom’s Thirst: The Saudi Water Challenge
     

    It’s no secret that Saudi Arabia is a dry place in a particularly arid region of the world. The dearth of water resources in the Kingdom is among its foremost challenges, with some estimates predicting full depletion by 2050 if nothing is done.

     
  • Saudi youth, the issue of unemployment and work ethic
     

    Abdulateef Al-Mulhim is a well-known Saudi commentator who is appreciated – at least here at SUSTG – for his willingness to take on sensitive topics and provide his particular perspective.  In this item he addresses the work ethic of young Saudis, a subject of much debate.  Not surprisingly, there are numerous facets to the discussion […]

     
  • Instagramming Riyadh
     

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is a beautiful city – one that is growing and changing at an impressive speed. Yet much of the Kingdom’s capital remains as it has for years. Traditional style housing and buildings, most of which are no higher than two stories, still dominate this sprawling city, but the gargantuan and glitzy new […]

     
  • Saudi Chartbook – February 2013
     

    Jadwa Investment’s recently released Saudi Chartbook for the month of February 2013 assesses a number of key aspects of the Saudi economy including the real economy, bank lending, banking indicators, inflation, trade, oil, exchange rates, the TASI (Saudi Stock Market), sectoral performance, and more. [The full report from Jadwa Investment can be read here.]

     

MUST-READS

  • HSBC Chosen to Advise on Saudi Food Giant’s IPO as Boom Rolls On

    In September, Almunajem received the market’s regulator nod to float a 30% stake, representing 18 million shares. Almunajem supplies foodstuffs to more than 22,000 outlets, including retail, food services, and wholesale channels, according to its website.

  • A Saudi-led initiative aids the study of climate change’s potential impact on food security

    A Saudi-based organization has partnered with leading researchers and humanitarian agencies to harness the power of data and technology in the hope of preventing climate shocks from causing hunger among vulnerable livestock-farming communities. Community Jameel announced in September the creation of the Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action to help tackle the growing threat to such communities from increasingly severe and frequent climate-related disasters.

  • The evolution of the food and beverage sector in MENA

    Companies that don’t have a strong footprint in the Middle East are missing a big opportunity for growth. That region will continue to evolve, and it will continue to grow. And of course, you have the population to support consumption.”

  • Saudi fast-food franchise operator Alamar Foods considers IPO, sources say

    Saudi Arabia's Alamar Foods, the regional franchise operator for Domino's Pizza (DPZ.N), is considering an initial public offering (IPO) that would allow The Carlyle Group (CG.O) sell some of its stake, three sources familiar with the matter said. Alamar Foods has hired HSBC (HSBA.L) to arrange the share sale, the sources told Reuters. They said deliberations were at an early stage and no final decision had been made.

  • Saudi FoodTech start-up Siwar raises $7.5m in funding round

    Saudi Arabian food technology start-up Siwar has raised 28 million Saudi riyals ($7.5m) in its latest funding round. The Series A funding round led by Riyadh-based travel services company Seera Group, in which other unnamed strategic investors also took part, will help Siwar to strengthen its consumer insights and distribution network, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

  • Foodics partners with American Express Saudi Arabia

    The announcement comes at the back of its series B fundraising in February this year, during which it raised $20 million in a funding round led by Sanabil Investments, a firm wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investments Fund. With this latest announcement, Foodics is on track to exceed its 2021 targets, with 11,000 brands onboarded so far and growing, as well as new product launches also in the pipeline.

  • Impossible Foods makes Middle East debut

    The California-based company – known for its plant-based Impossible Burger – revealed its local launch at the Dubai World Expo. Its products will be sold in restaurants in the United Arab Emirates, its first market in the Middle East. The Impossible Burger is kosher, halal and gluten-free certified and will be sold at restaurants Pickl, Sticky Rice, Akira Back and The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill from Friday (1 October).

  • Saudi Arabia strives for 50% cut in food waste by 2030

    The minister stressed the need to build flexible and sustainable food systems at the local and international levels that ensure the availability of healthy and safe food for all segments of the society, and to ensure the availability of all possible tools and measures that help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

  • Saudi Arabia asks contractors to buy essential food items locally

    The move is aimed at supporting local products and boosting the Kingdom’s non-oil economy. The list primarily includes meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. The authority is also studying sectors where consumption of the items on the “mandatory” list is high to ensure the contractors involved in those areas abide by the regulations. The sectors identified are military, health, education, and prison. Abdulrahman Al-Samari, CEO of the authority, said this step is part of the government’s efforts to develop local content in all non-oil sectors.

  • Abu Dhabi’s Agthia Seeks Food Deals in Egypt and Saudi Arabia

    “We expect to see our growth coming from the consumer business,” Agthia Chief Executive Officer Alan Smith said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “We’re going to continue to look for the right opportunities” for acquisitions with a focus on Saudi Arabia and Egypt, he said.