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Americana and Farm Frites to expand MENA footprint with $100 million investment (SAR 375 million) in a state-of-the-art Greenfield Frozen French Fries factory in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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Located in Sudair Industrial and Business City, Riyadh, the Greenfield Frozen French Fries factory is set to commission at the start of 2026, making this establishment the second Joint Venture ‘JV’ partnership between Americana and Farm Frites in the MENA region, to produce a varied range of Frozen French Fries and specialty potato products.The new facility will contribute to KSA’s Vision 2030 and aid in advancing KSA’s food security agenda, boosting local production. By installing capacity in KSA, we aim to participate in advancing the local agriculture landscape in KSA, support and empower local potato growers to further develop their farming practices, enhance crop quality and improve their yields.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Agricultural Growth and Processing Company, a subsidiary of Americana Holding for Food Ltd, is set to expand its business operation with a significant $100 million investment (SAR 375 million) in a Greenfield Frozen French Fries manufacturing plant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Following a strong three-decade partnership in Egypt with Farm Frites, a global leader in the cultivation of potatoes and production of Frozen French Fries, the new processing factory will be established in Sudair Industrial and Business City, pushing forward our partnership with Farm Frites to greater heights.

To commemorate this significant milestone, the Agricultural Growth and Processing Company (Americana and Farm Frites) held a lease-signing ceremony on November 20th, 2024, with the the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones in MODON Headquarters, in Riyadh, in the presence of MODON’s CEO, and hosted a Groundbreaking ceremony in Sudair Industrial and Business City on November 25th, 2024, to mark the commencement of construction for the new Frozen French Fries processing plant. The event was attended by esteemed government and ministerial delegates, and key stakeholders, including local potato growers, valued global, regional and local customers and key strategic partners.

The $100 million investment is a strategic step aligned with the Saudi Vision 2030 plans to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, while also contributing to its food security agenda by boosting local production and creating employment opportunities for KSA nationals, local potato growers and farmers. The investment by the Agricultural Growth and Processing Company will enable the company to expand its footprint in KSA, wherein Americana has been operating for over two decades, with two factories in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Mohamed Ali Rashid Alabbar, Chairman of the Kuwait Food Company (Americana) KSCC commented: “We are excited to start the construction of our new Frozen French Fries plant in Saudi Arabia. Our partnership with Farm Frites dates back over three decades having been partners in Egypt since 1988. We are delighted to be renewing our long-standing relationship with a trusted partner, this time in Saudi Arabia, and are proud to be contributing to KSA’s Vision 2030 and championing efforts to increase local production in KSA. This was made possible through the vital support and collaboration of key government and institutional partners including but not limited to the Ministry of Investment, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and MODON, each playing a crucial role in our business expansion journey.”

Piet de Bruijne, Owner and Chairman of Farm Frites commented: “We are thrilled to once again join hands with Americana, building on a 30-year partnership of mutual growth and shared success. Among the 100 countries where Farm Frites is present in the world, KSA stands as the 5th largest market globally, reinforcing our commitment to the MENA region and to KSA’s growth and economic diversification. We remain dedicated to advancing the industry holistically, from agriculture and logistics to delivering superior value directly to our customers.”

The new facility will be established on a plot exceeding 100,000 square meters and will employ cutting-edge equipment and advanced technology to produce Frozen French Fries and other specialty potato products. The plant is set to be inaugurated in Q1 2026 and will have a total annual production capacity of 70,000 MT during phase one, with plans for future expansion in the future. Upon commencing operations, this will mark the second joint venture partnership between Americana and Farm Frites and with the new facility underway in Sudair Industrial and Business City, we are set to become the largest producers of Frozen French Fries in the MENA region.

Mohamed Safwat Moustafa, Managing Director of the Agricultural Growth and Processing Company concluded: “I am proud and deeply honoured to kick off this landmark new development in KSA. With a commitment to delivering excellence, we aim to establish a world-class facility right here on Saudi soil. I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve some of the most renowned customers, both globally and regionally, with a superior range of French Fries products, proudly made in KSA. This new facility reinforces our dedication to quality, innovation, and the Kingdom’s potential.”

About Americana

Established in 1964, Americana Foods is one of the largest FMCG companies in the MENA region. From our humble beginnings in Kuwait, to our strong presence and extended reach in KSA, UAE, and Egypt, we have over decades grown to become a trusted household brand name in the region and beyond. Americana operates a diverse portfolio of products across several categories including but not limited to frozen processed products (poultry, beef and seafood), frozen fruits and vegetables, canned and packaged food, sweet and savory snacks. With 19 production facilities across the MENA region, direct route-to-market and distribution network in 4 key operating markets, and presence in 50+ countries across the world, Americana continues to be at the forefront of the industry, continually pushing the boundaries of quality and taste, enriching consumers’ lives through the joy of food.

About Farm Frites

Founded in 1971 as an independent family business, Farm Frites was born from a passion for potato cultivation and crafting quality fries. Over the past five decades, this passion has driven our growth into a global enterprise. Today, we process over 1.2 million tons of potato products annually and serve more than eighty types of fries, potato specialties, and appetizers to foodservice providers all over the globe. While our operations have grown, our primary focus remains unchanged: to serve happiness, from field to plate. Our team has expanded to over 1,600 colleagues across 6 manufacturing facilities and 43 global sales offices, serving foodservice entrepreneurs in over 100 countries. 

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Hisense Celebrates Earth Day: The Quiet Green Shift Happening Inside Households Through Smarter Appliances

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DUBAI, UAE, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — There’s something futuristic about a refrigerator that thinks for itself. Not in a science-fiction, take-over-the-world kind of way, but in the everyday miracle of a 620-litre side-by-side unit deciding, on its own, that 3am is the perfect time to run its compressor at minimal power because nobody’s opening the door anyway.

This is the green revolution that nobody talks about at climate summits. While world leaders debate carbon credits and industrial emissions, a quieter transformation is unfolding in kitchens, utility rooms, and living spaces across the UAE and beyond. It happens every time a washing machine calculates the precise amount of water needed for that half-load of towels, or when an air conditioner’s inverter technology throttles down instead of cycling on and off like an energy-guzzling metronome.

Earth Day, falling on 22 April this year, typically conjures images of tree-planting ceremonies and beach clean-ups. Worthy endeavours, certainly. But the environmental impact of what sits in your home, running twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year, rarely gets the attention it deserves.

On average, washing machines use 19 gallons of water per load, and the average household runs between 5 and 6 loads per week. Based on those figures, most washers use up to 5,605 gallons of water annually . Swap that for a modern front-load unit with AI wash programs, like Hisense’s models, and that figure can drop by up to 50 percent. Multiply this across the roughly 500,000 households in Dubai alone, and we’re suddenly talking about water savings that would make a desalination plant executive weep with joy.

The same logic applies to electricity consumption, a particularly pressing concern in a region where summer temperatures regularly exceed 45°C and air conditioning is a necessity. The difference between a conventional split AC unit and one equipped with inverter technology isn’t marginal, it’s substantial enough to show up on utility bills within the first month of operation.

Intelligence as an Environmental Strategy

What makes the current generation of home appliances genuinely different isn’t just improved efficiency ratings or eco-labelling. It’s the integration of AI into the very fabric of how these machines operate.

Hisense, a brand that has positioned itself at this intersection of technology and sustainability, describes its approach as a “dual-track strategy of intelligence plus green development.” Its ConnectLife ecosystem, available on select refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and air conditioners, monitors energy consumption in real-time, learns household patterns, and makes AI-driven recommendations that, over time, compound into meaningful resource savings.

A Hisense 14-place setting dishwasher with auto-wash technology, for instance, doesn’t simply run the same cycle regardless of load. It assesses soil levels and adjusts water temperature and duration accordingly. A half-load mode means running appliances at appropriate capacity rather than wasting resources on unnecessary full cycles.

Multi-airflow cooling systems that reduce temperature fluctuation and preserve food longer. No-frost technology that eliminates the energy waste of ice buildup. Inverter compressors that modulate power consumption rather than running at full throttle constantly. These technologies have existed in various forms for years. What’s changed is their integration into accessible price points and mainstream product lines, making efficient living achievable for households beyond the ultra-premium market.

The Gulf region presents a fascinating case study for domestic sustainability. Per capita energy consumption ranks among the highest globally, driven by climate control requirements, water desalination dependencies, and historically subsidised utility costs. Yet the UAE has simultaneously positioned itself as a regional leader in renewable energy investment and sustainability commitments.

This creates a unique environment where smart appliance adoption carries amplified significance. A 1.5-ton inverter split AC running across a typical Abu Dhabi summer doesn’t just save its owner money, it reduces the load on an electrical grid increasingly powered by solar and nuclear generation. The connection between individual choices and collective outcomes becomes tangible in ways that might seem abstract in milder climates.

The rise of connected appliances adds another dimension. Remote diagnostics can extend product lifespans by identifying minor issues before they become terminal failures. Software updates can improve efficiency algorithms years after purchase. Energy monitoring creates accountability loops that encourage conscious consumption patterns.

Steam wash functions on modern washing machines reduce the need for hot-water cycles while improving allergen removal. Anti-bacterial filters in air conditioning units address both health and environmental concerns simultaneously. These convergences suggest that the old tension between convenience and conscience may be resolving itself through engineering rather than requiring consumers to choose sides.

The Household as Climate Actor

There’s something democratic about domestic sustainability. Industrial emissions reductions require policy negotiations, capital investments, and coordination across complex stakeholder ecosystems. Choosing a more efficient refrigerator requires a trip to the appliance store and perhaps a slightly higher upfront cost that will recoup itself over the product’s operational lifetime.

This isn’t to diminish the necessity of systemic change, individual action cannot substitute for structural transformation. But the two approaches complement rather than compete. Households equipped with intelligent appliances consume fewer resources, place less strain on infrastructure, and model consumption patterns that cascade through communities.

The quiet green shift happening inside households won’t make headlines the way renewable energy megaprojects or electric vehicle adoption rates do. But every time that dishwasher calculates optimal water usage, every time that inverter compressor modulates instead of cycles, every time that smart refrigerator adjusts its cooling schedule based on door-opening patterns, something meaningful happens. Millions of these moments, aggregated across millions of households, compound into impact that rivals any single infrastructure project.

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Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto expands academic collaboration to accelerate AI-driven automotive innovation

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UC Berkeley engagement underscores long-term investment in autonomous systems, engineering depth and intelligent vehicle development

BERKELEY, Calif., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto has deepened its engagement with leading academic institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, as it accelerates development of AI-defined vehicles and next-generation autonomous systems. The collaboration signals a long-term commitment to advancing core technologies that will shape the future of intelligent automotive motion.

The engagement brought Nebula NEXT engineers and leadership together with Berkeley researchers specialising in autonomous control systems, AI and intelligent transportation. The sessions focused on translating advanced research into real-world vehicle systems, with particular emphasis on safety, control and full-stack AI integration.

Jake Ma, Executive of Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto, said: “We aren’t building a car. We are building a new brain for the physical world. To us, the car is the only physical mothership capable of carrying the extreme compute required by large AI models today.”

The visit forms part of a broader strategy to anchor Nebula NEXT’s development in deep technical collaboration. By working closely with academic experts, the company is strengthening its approach to autonomous driving, vehicle intelligence and system-level engineering.

Nebula NEXT builds on Dreame Technology’s foundation in precision engineering and AI-driven innovation. This heritage underpins a shift from software-defined vehicles to AI-defined vehicles, where intelligence is embedded across the entire system, from perception and decision-making to chassis and powertrain control.

The company’s technical direction centres on integrating AI into the core dynamics of how vehicles operate. This includes continuous learning systems, multi-agent architectures and high-performance computing platforms designed to support real-time decision-making in complex driving environments.

Nebula NEXT first drew global attention at CES 2026 with the debut of the Nebula NEXT 01, a four-door electric hyper-sedan concept. The vehicle delivers 1.8-second acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h, more than 2,000 horsepower and a lightweight structure built from proprietary Blue Carbon Fiber.

Momentum continued with a high-profile appearance during the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast, extending the brand’s reach across North America and reinforcing its position as an emerging force in automotive technology.

Alongside performance, the company continues to prioritise foundational innovation. Its architecture combines AI-native operating systems, zonal electrical design and high-density computing platforms to enable scalable, intelligent vehicle systems.

Nebula NEXT is now entering a phase focused on system execution, engineering depth and scalable technology development. The company will present further advances at an upcoming Silicon Valley event on 27 April 2026, where it will unveil new products and core technologies.

By combining global market momentum, academic collaboration and a focus on engineering fundamentals, Dreame Nebula NEXT is positioning itself at the centre of the transition to AI-defined mobility.

Media contact:
Li Tong, Dreame Nebula Next Auto PR head, litong2@dreame.tech
Website: https://www.dreametech.com

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Sucden Financial Enables Client Trading in Shanghai Nickel Futures

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LONDON, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sucden Financial, the multi-asset execution, clearing and liquidity provider, announces that clients can now trade nickel futures and options on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE), following today’s opening of the contract to international participants.

Sucden Financial offers access to SHFE through its Overseas Intermediary status and established Chinese banking relationships. Clients can manage exposure across SHFE, the London Metal Exchange (LME) and more than 20 other global commodities markets through a single account.

In addition to SHFE nickel contracts, Sucden Financial’s clients can access the following Chinese exchanges: the Shanghai International Energy Exchange, the Dalian Commodity Exchange and the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange.

Lucy Wainman, Head of Sales (China) at Sucden Financial, said:

“We are pleased to offer clients the opportunity to trade Shanghai nickel futures and options contracts, further broadening our access to Chinese markets. This milestone reflects the hard work of our team and the long-standing relationships we have built in China. We would like to thank SHFE and Chinese regulators for their support and constructive engagement.”

Marc Bailey, CEO of Sucden Financial, said:

“Expanding our global exchange coverage to include access to onshore mainland Chinese markets supports our organic growth strategy. By adding access to SHFE, we provide clients with an extended global reach through a single account. Continued investment in technology underpins our long-term commitment to our clients, enabling them to respond quickly to changing market dynamics and capture emerging opportunities.”

About Sucden Financial

With a history and heritage in commodity futures and options trading, Sucden Financial has evolved and diversified to become a leading global multi-asset execution, clearing and liquidity provider across FX, fixed income, and commodities.

Sucden Financial has a proven track record of over 50 years in financial markets. Since its foundation in 1973, it has been supported by its parent, Sucden, one of the world’s leading soft commodity trading groups, while remaining fully independent in its day-to-day trading operations.

Sucden Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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