Lahore:
The conference of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Regional Food Committee, Shahid Imran, said on Wednesday that Saudi entrepreneurs show strong interest in forging joint ventures with Pakistani partners in the food sector, especially in the fast-growing snacks segment.
He leads a Pakistani delegation that is currently touring Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. Imran noted that both sides during recent meetings emphasized tremendous potential and the need to produce high quality innovative snack products to meet the rising demand.
Pakistan’s delegation presented the country’s forces in traditional snacks, including Nimco, toasted chickpeas and spicy mixtures along with modern products such as aromatized chips, cookies, biscuits and energy bars. The delegation highlighted how these offers are in line with developing consumer flavors in Saudi Arabia. Imran said Saudi investors want co-branding, technology transfer and halal certification. They know that Pakistani snacks are affordable, tasty and designed with expertise.
Interest comes in the midst of robust growth in Saudi -Arabia’s wider food and drink (F&B) landscape. According to Statista, a German data platform, the total food market in Saudi -Arabia is expected to reach around $ 57.4 billion in 2025, growing at approx. 4% annually over the next five years. The largest segment will be bread and grain products with a projected market volume of $ 10.46 billion in 2025.
This wave is driven by rapid urbanization, a youthful and increasingly affluent population and the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative that emphasizes tourism, hospitality and entertainment economy. Saudi authorities aim to attract millions of tourists at the end of the decade, which burns the demand for convenience foods, fast service restaurants and packed snacks.
Pakistani exporters believe their products can adapt to these trends while offering value. “We can offer objects that meet both traditional taste and modern health trends, such as baked alternatives, organic bars and chips with low fat,” said Ahmed Rauf, a food exporter. He added that Joint Ventures could help establish treatment units, improve the packaging and achieve halal and other certifications to meet Saudi regulatory standards and consumer expectations.
Pakistan’s food export, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), is currently standing at $ 7,116 billion in FY25. While this is a remarkable proportion of the country’s total exports, snacks and allied categories contribute very little. In contrast, Saudi Arabia is highly dependent on food imports due to agricultural restrictions and water scarcity, which constitutes a significant part of domestic demand. These factors make the kingdom an attractive market for Pakistani snack manufacturers.
Some economists warn that it is not easy to get a reasonable share in the Saudi Arabia market for food and drink. “While Pakistan’s food exports cross $ 7 billion annually, the proportion of processed snacks and allied products is still very modest,” Dr. Kamran Siddiqui, an economist. “This means that Pakistani exporters will face an uphill with cutting off space in Saudi Arabia’s very competitive snack market, already dominated by global giants. To succeed, they need significant investments in branding, packaging, quality certifications and marketing campaigns tailored to Gulf consumers. dynamic and brand-conscious market that will be extremely challenging. ” He is added.
Despite the challenges, Pakistani exporters remains gently optimistic about entering the Saudi market. Industrial leaders admit that it will not be easy to compete with multinational snack marks, but they claim that Pakistan’s strength lies in affordable prices, authenticity and halal insurance that resonates strongly with Gulf consumers.
“This is not just about trade numbers; it is about building long -term partnerships that strengthen both economies. This model of collaboration can pave the way for similar ventures in other foods and beverages, such as dairy, beverages, and processed meat and expand the horizons to bilateral trade.
