Dandy Company Limited is one of the most respected names in Qatar’s dairy industry. Manufacturers of some of the most recognised and accepted food brands in the region – including yoghurt, laban sharab (yoghurt-based drink), laban airan, fresh juices and a range of ice creams – the Company has spent three decades reinvesting back into the business in order to maintain its trustworthy quality, reasonable pricings and local customer base.
QUATAR’S DAIRY EXPERTS
In its efforts to deliver stable and profitable long-term revenue growth to its shareholders, Dandy has further factory expansion plans on the horizon to help maximise its production capacities and increase its distribution capabilities across all GCC countries; as part of a five-year plan to double its current production.
“We are proud to have a 100 percent local distribution network, which was achieved based on strong principles of simplicity, honesty, business ethics and integrity. Our vision has always been to gain the trust of every household in the region with a commitment to supply high-quality, good value products conveniently, and make them available at an affordable price point,” says Victor Staneley, General Manager of Dandy Company Limited.
“In line with our latest investments in state-of-the-art production and distribution facilities, we have now products in the fresh chilled foods space, which are exported into the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.”
Part of the 7Brothers Holding Group, Dandy was established in 1971 in Doha, Qatar as the country’s first dairy manufacturer. The Company quickly learned to capitalise on market trends in order to better cater for the local customer’s needs.
Staneley highlights: “Gradually the market dynamics started changing, and there was a rapid growth of an expatriate workforce as a result of increased investment in the region. Market trends and customer needs evolved simultaneously, which led us to further diversify our product range and venture into the ice cream and juice industries over the years.”
NEW PRODUCTION LINES
In a bid to cope with the rapid expansion needed to remain ahead of increased competition, Dandy is continuously investing to facilitate more flexible distribution capabilities and grow its customer base.
“At the moment, we are investing in technological advancements and the installation of new production lines, all of which are being imported from Europe. Our old production lines are also being upgraded with the latest technologies and industry-leading equipment available from our suppliers in Sweden and Germany,” Staneley explains.
Further supporting its push to ensure the best quality product reaches its customers, Dandy is ISO 9001, ISO 22000 and HACCP certified; focusing on continual improvement in the areas of health, safety and hygiene.
“Working closely with government authorities, we are always updating the standard of our products in line with Gulf industry standards. It is important to remember that Dandy is a brand that reaches a significant customer base. Every product is designed and developed according to the requirement of the end-customer,” he adds.
Running alongside this behind-the-scenes investment, Dandy regularly makes an appearance at leading food exhibitions across the world; including Gulfood in Dubai, Anuga in Cologne and SIAL in Paris. This international exposure has allowed the Company to expand its geographic footprint into new GCC countries, introducing new product lines – including the export of frozen products with a long shelf-life in 2013 – and bolstering its network of clients operating in the region.
“Additionally, our in-house marketing team – combined with assistance from marketing research firms such as AC Nielsen – ensures that we continue to keep an eye on the relevant market trends,” Staneley further details.
SETTING ITS SIGHTS HIGH
With the business now making the essential internal and structural upgrades to continue to be the best in the region at what they do, Dandy has ambitious targets for the next five years. Staneley shares the Company’s plans to double its current production capacity: “By focusing on lowering costs and encouraging our procurement team to adhere to demand-driven forward-planning – all while keeping the end-customer in mind – we will expand our export division network further, targeting Bahrain as well as the central region of Saudi Arabia.”
He concludes: “This expansion plan is based on the success garnered from our recent move into the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. With our facilities’ expansions on-track, we are hoping to increase our production capacity by 25 percent in the next year.”
