| Lyna Mohamad |
THE Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB), AZ Food (B) Sdn Bhd and Catering & International Trading (CIT) Company from Tunisia yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to invest in Halal food production and an export facility in Brunei Darussalam.
Present at the BEDB Anggerek Desa Technology Park to witness the signing was Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism cum BEDB Chairman Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong.
Signing the MoU on behalf of BEDB was its Acting CEO, Hajah Hasnah binti Haji Ibrahim, while CIT Company was represented by its chairman, Albdelbaset M Abid and general manager, Ali Ghammagui, and AZ Food (B) Sdn Bhd was represented by its chairman, Shaikh Khalid bin Shaikh Haji Ahmad.
Also present to witness the signing was SMC Technologies General Manager Amedeo Pagotto as CIT’s technology partner.
In her speech, Hajah Hasnah noted the project would create one of the most sophisticated food production facilities in Brunei. The acting CEO also emphasised that the objectives of the project are in line with Brunei’s aspirations to achieve greater self-sufficiency in terms of food supply, and to strengthen the country’s position as a regionally competitive destination for quality food production.
Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism cum BEDB Chairman Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong witnesses the MoU signing. – LYNA MOHAMAD
In an interview with AZ Food (B) Sdn Bhd Chairman Shaikh Khalid explained that they are bringing in the technology to be invested into Brunei and to provide job opportunities to Bruneians.
“We are going to be the food storage, with the food made really accessible. And we are going to turn Brunei into a hub for Halal food – which is part of the expansion programme to achieve the Brunei Vision 2035,” he added.
Meanwhile, CIT General Manager Ali Ghammagui pointed out that its focus is on food and sterilised products (such as plastic trays) to be exported abroad. It looks to have Brunei as a hub to produce the group’s need of more than 300 million products per year, with their main target of accommodating the food needs of 800 million people around the world as well as military food kit.
Chairman Albdelbaset noted that choosing Brunei to be the hub is a good decision.
An SMC Technologies representative informed the Bulletin that the company started its Italian technology 15 years ago. It has achieved good results and the company continues technological development in terms of ways to better prepare recipes.
Utilising Italian-patented sterilisation technology provided by SMC Technologies, this project is the latest milestone in the country’s efforts to diversify the economy and transform itself into a competitive Halal food production hub in the region.
The facility will undertake the end-to-end process of Halal ready-meal production, from the preparation of meals with locally sourced raw materials to the manufacturing of packaging materials and the assembly of vending machines.
The packaged food, which would have a shelf life of 24 months through the use of a special biodegradable packaging plastic that allows it to be stored without refrigeration, is intended to be exported to markets in Asean and beyond, where it will be distributed through vending machines and retail stores.
The proposed production facility is expected to commence construction in the third quarter of 2016, with its full completion by the fourth quarter of 2017.
BEDB, in addition to providing an infrastructure-ready site of 4.48 hectares in the Salambigar Industrial Park, will continue to facilitate and support the project towards its successful implementation, through collaboration with key stakeholders and government agencies.
The development of the BND90 million Halal food production and export facility is expected to create 206 new jobs, generate export revenue for the country as well as enable the transfer of technology and skills to locals and create business opportunities for local SMEs.
This project further reaffirms Brunei’s attractiveness as a foreign investment destination, which includes the production and export of Halal food. Overall, the project will generate increased economic activity in the country and facilitates towards achieving the Brunei Vision 2035 goals.
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