ITT Foods in talks for Saudi Arabia expansion, UAE partnership

SAUDI ARABIA – Pakistan’s ITT Foods, the Karachi-based maker of sauces and confectionery under the Dipitt brand, is preparing a significant expansion into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as it moves toward establishing a production hub in Saudi Arabia. 

The company’s CEO, Syed Zeeshan Haider, confirmed that negotiations are in advanced stages for the takeover of a shuttered tomato processing plant in Jeddah’s Industrial Zone 2, with plans to bring it back online in partnership with Saudi investors by mid-2026.

The facility, originally closed in 2023 by a Saudi steel firm that had briefly diversified into food production, offers ITT Foods a ready-made infrastructure to localize manufacturing and cut the high logistics costs of shipping sauces from Pakistan. 

“Saudi Arabia has been a potential hub for us and more so with every day passing,” Haider said in an interview. “It’s a joint venture that we are exploring over there with the Saudi partners … I think by next year, by 2026, it will be done.”

ITT Foods has been supplying Saudi Arabia since 2019 and counts major retailers and food chains among its partners. 

The company currently collaborates with Hyper Panda, which holds more than 20 per cent of the Saudi grocery market share, and is a supplier to Herfy, one of the Kingdom’s leading quick-service restaurant chains. 

Haider noted that discussions are also underway with other retailers, including Tamimi and Al Othaim, to expand shelf presence. At the same time, collaborations with Saudi e-commerce platforms are expected to boost penetration further.

UAE collaboration in the works

The company’s regional ambitions extend beyond Saudi Arabia. ITT Foods is in talks with the UAE’s largest bottled water company to develop a new sauces line under a co-branding arrangement. 

While Haider did not disclose the partner’s name, he indicated that the launch could be announced within months. 

In the UAE retail market, ITT Foods already supplies sauces to supermarket chains such as Nesto, with additional distribution in Qatar and Lebanon.

Exports make up around 40 per cent of ITT Foods’ total sales, and the GCC remains its most lucrative region. 

Haider described the GCC sauces market as being worth approximately US$600 million annually, with Dipitt targeting a 10 per cent share over the next five years. 

To achieve this, the company is exploring further joint ventures to localize production and strengthen supply chains, reducing delays and improving freshness.

“The food trend is also changing a lot in GCC with each day passing,” Haider said. “So, we are trying to work on those and innovate and bring those things.” He added that ITT Foods is developing new ranges of Arabic-inspired sauces, such as date syrups, to cater to regional tastes.

Saudi Arabia’s regulatory reforms, including the digitalization of approvals through the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, have made it easier for foreign firms to operate. 

Rising tourism and pilgrimage traffic are also fueling food demand, presenting additional growth opportunities for the company.

Haider acknowledged challenges such as sugar taxes on ketchup, mayonnaise, and syrups, but stressed that ITT Foods is adapting. 

The company’s long-term plan, he said, is to establish Saudi Arabia as its GCC hub while continuing to expand into Europe and North America.

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