ABOUT SAVOLA
At Savola, we know who we are and we know what we are doing.
We are the leading strategic investment holding group in the food and retail sectors across the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) region. We are proud of our Saudi heritage, our current international presence and the ethical business model that sets us apart. We think that companies perform best when they play to their strengths. For us, this means focusing our resources on building a strong portfolio of assets in the food and retail sectors. Through companies under our two entities, Savola Foods and Savola Retail, we now operate large numbers of grocery stores and produce everyday household staples loved by consumers in 50 countries. Our profits also come from stakes we hold in other companies in our core sectors and other industries.
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
Whether you are an investor, a consumer, an employee, or an interested reader, I would like to take this opportunity to personally welcome you to the Savola website. We trust that it will be informative regarding our various activities for the Group in the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) Region. As you read on, you will gain insight into our investments in the food and retail sectors, our vision for the future, and the reason why our brand purpose is ‘Value Built on Values’.
Savola was founded in 1979 and throughout the past four decades we have expanded and grown our business portfolio. Savola foods’ main products are edible oil, sugar, pasta, and ghee. These products are distributed in over 50 countries. Savola Retail manages large number of Panda grocery stores. Additionally, we invest in other companies to generate additional value for our stakeholders.
2019 was also the year Savola Group became one of the key companies from Saudi Arabia included in MSCI’s Emerging Market Index. The inclusion makes Savola Group a conduit for foreign investment as encouraged by the Saudi Vision 2030. Also we successfully reissued SAR 1 billion sukuks which were oversubscribed as institutional investors took the opportunity to participate in our offerings, banking on our growth prospects.
Our People
Our employee engagement continued bearing fruit, with a group-wide survey showing an increase in satisfaction and engagement. We are proud to have been certified as a “Great Place to Work”. Our people and teams are an integral part of our success, and it is their commitment that powers us to stronger growth. As mandated in the Saudi Vision 2030, we are committed to Saudization while
Looking to the future
We look forward to the future with optimism. In 2020 and beyond, we will focus on delivering outperformance to our shareholders. We continue to support the Saudi Vision 2030 through focusing on consumer health and greener operations. In closing, I would like to thank all our shareholders, customers, employees, and partners for their support as we build a stronger Savola Group which continues to create value for all stakeholders, for years to come.
Mr. Waleed Khalid Fatani
Group CEO
Vision & Mission
Companies only survive and thrive when they have a clearly defined vision. At Savola, we exist to empower, inspire and strategically guide our companies, partners, customers and employees through supportive programmes and core values. From the CEO to the employee who has just started his or her career, all Savolans play a crucial role in making that vision a reality.
We add value for investors, employees and wider society
We are a business run for people, by people. This is why Savola’s mission is to have a positive impact on society, while generating profits and growth through strategic investment in the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) region. We are uniquely equipped for this role because of our sector-specific expertise, strong track record and excellent market positioning. In the immediate future, we will increase our focus on our core sectors (food and retail) by gradually selling investments in other industries. These funds will then be used to tap into new markets and enter higher-value product categories. For example, we acquired a majority stake in Al Kabeer (51%), one of the region’s leading frozen foods companies. At an operational level, our goal is to gradually move toward a new model where our companies and brands have greater autonomy. We will do this by proactively providing strategic guidance and thought leadership to our companies enabling them to grow and succeed. This way, they will be able to concentrate on strengthening product marketing and branding to increase consumer loyalty in each country.
We act in accordance with our values
At Savola, ethical principles: integrity, righteousness, fulfilment and persistence – shape the way we do business. They always have and they always will. That is why we were honored to be ranked 4th in governance and transparency in the MENA region as per Standard & Poor’s, Dow Jones, and Hawkamah Institute Index.
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