Al Rawabi - Freshness in every drop

The company is at the forefront of keeping the nation healthy and productive

Founded in 1989, Al Rawabi is a leading name in fresh milk, juice and other dairy products in the UAE and beyond. Operating from its 300-acre farm in Al Khawaneej in Dubai, Al Rawabi products have become a staple in the average diet of the nation. The brand maintains a third of the UAE market share.
"I had the honour of starting Al Rawabi nearly 27 years ago. Surprisingly, there was high competition in the market even in those days, especially from Saudi Arabia. It was a big challenge that I had to face. The farm began production with just 500 Holstein and Friesian cattle. Today, we have more than 12,500 cows. Apart from supplying milk to all parts of the UAE, we also export our products to other GCC countries. Our products are available in more than 10,000 outlets," Dr Ahmed Eltigani A. Raheem Al Mansouri, CEO, Al Rawabi Co LLC, told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.
All along its journey, innovation has been the cornerstone of Al Rawabi's business philosophy. "Al Rawabi was the first company to introduce milk in plastic bottles in the UAE. We started with half litre and one-litre bottles. Consumers immediately liked the concept, which gave us around 7-8 per cent of the market share. A few years on, we started using two-litre, three-litre and one gallon family size milk bottles," he added.
Al Rawabi's market share continued to grow, as families loved the offering of bigger bottles. In 1994 the company introduced fresh juices in the UAE market (another first). "Till that time most of the supermarkets and stores in the Middle East didn't sell fresh juice. We introduced natural juices in the country; the concept was very well received by consumers," Al Mansouri noted.
Even as pasteurised full fat milk and orange juice continue to be its best-selling products, the company is focusing more on functional products. This is in line with Al Rawabi's mission to develop and produce quality dairy and juice products that promote a healthy lifestyle. "Health and well-being are the two most important concerns for consumers in the modern times. We are trying to address drinks that are related to the well-being and health of all. Our product line keeps people productive, healthy and alert," the CEO remarked.
Citing the example of Vitamin D deficiency among the UAE population, Al Mansouri said that Al Rawabi is running a campaign with the UAE Ministry of Health for promoting Vitamin D milk for the last two years. "It is already in the market - sold under our functional dairy category. Supermilk is a multi-vitamin (Vitamin D, B12, A and E) fresh milk and is suitable for both adults and children. It keeps you energetic all day long."
In recent years, Al Rawabi has worked closely with a research team from the University of Helsinki to introduce essential vitamins, minerals, fibre and energy in the form of a 200 ml bottle, packaged as Nutree Boost. "Nutree Boost laban drink is enriched with oats, minerals and vitamins. One 100 ml bottle in the morning is sufficient to keep you going for a few hours. Besides taking care of all your nutrition requirements, it is healthy: low-fat and less cholesterol," he elaborated. 
The company is constantly adding new products to its basket. "Plans are afoot to add a product for diabetic patients and another for people with hypertension. By the second half of the year we will be launching a special product for overweight people," the CEO informed.

Ramadan treats
Al Rawabi has three products, which are highly recommended during Ramadan. Given its nutritive properties, Nutree Boost can be taken at Suhoor to give you a full feeling for the rest of the day. The company's cucumber mint laban is especially good for breaking the fast. Al Rawabi yoghurt carries very high quantity of probiotic bacteria, which is considered excellent for health.
"All supermarkets and groceries in the UAE will have these products during Ramadan. Our yoghurt and laban products contain 10 times the number of probiotic bacteria than our competitors. It is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive and immune systems naturally. My advice to our consumers during Ramadan is 'don't overeat'. Break your fast with something light like a soup and take Al Rawabi's laban and cucumber mint laban for a healthy and prosperous Ramadan," Al Mansouri concluded.  - sadiq@khaleejtimes.com
The pioneer
Dr Ahmed Eltigani A. Raheem Al Mansouri has a PhD in Veterinary Medicine. Considered an expert in dairy production, he has travelled extensively across Europe and the Middle East and has adopted the best dairy practices from around the world at Al Rawabi.
Timeline

1989: Established with 500 cows imported from Germany
1991: First company to introduce plastic bottles
1995: First company in the GCC to introduce fresh juices
2003: Awarded the prestigious HACCP certification
2008: Listed among the 40 strongest brands in the Arab world by Forbes
2010: Awarded with ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management, ISO14001:2004 for Environmental Management, ISO 22000:2005 Certification for Food Safety
2010: Awarded the Best Enterprise by European Business Assembly
2010: Best Environmental Practice Award by UAE
2012: Launched Nutree Boost
2012: Launched Omega 3 milk
2012: Awarded the Best New Health Food or Beverage Ingredient by Gulf Food Awards for Nutree Boost
2012: 'Brand of the Year' by Superbrands UAE
2013: Expanded farm facilities with investment of Dh125 million
2015: Increased the herd count at the farm to 12,500 cows, and fleet size of trucks to 250. The company's milk and other products are delivered to more than 10,000 outlets daily.
 

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