Global food company Cargill has opened a new corn milling facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) through its joint venture partner Arabian Agricultural Services Company (ARASCO).

The new facility will address the growing demands of the food and beverage industry in the region.

Located in Al-Kharj, the corn milling plant will be operated by the Middle East Food Solutions Company (MEFSCO), a joint venture (JV) company that was established by Cargill and ARASCO in 2013.

Cargill starches, sweeteners and texturisers global leader Julian Chase said: “The Middle East food industry is one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

“The MEFSCO facility gives regional food and beverage manufacturer’s access to high-quality, innovative products produced specifically for them.

“ARASCO’s local knowledge and supply chain infrastructure were crucial in our ability to design a facility that best serves local market needs.”

“The MEFSCO facility gives regional food and beverage manufacturer’s access to high-quality, innovative products produced specifically for them.”

The investment by Cargill is expected to support the food and beverage manufacturers in the Middle Eastern region.

The MEFSCO facility was originally built to cater the food and beverage requirements of the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), which include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar.

With the opening of the new corn milling facility, the JV company is expected to double its glucose and starch production capacities as well as expand its product portfolio with the addition of high fructose corn syrup to meet the growing demand from confectionery, juice, bakery, and catering segments.

MEFSCO chief executive officer Ziyad Alsheikh said: “In the Middle East, consumer awareness around food safety and hygiene is growing steadily.

“Cargill’s expertise in processing agricultural commodities into high-quality sweeteners and starch-based products will provide our regional customers with an edge in making products that respond to this consumer trend.”