Ministerial delegation tours Oman’s sole industrial bakery

BUSINESS REPORTER - MUSCAT, MARCH 7 A high-level ministerial delegation comprising Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources; and Dr Khalfan bin Said al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, visited the factory of Atyab Food Industries, which owns and operates an industrial-scale bakery – the only one of its kind in the Sultanate. The Atyab Food Industry, known as Atyab Bakery, is one of the investments of Oman Flour Mills company affiliated to the Oman Food Investment Holding Company. It runs its manufacturing operations from its bakery located in Barka. The delegation was received by Shaikh Salah bin Hilal al Mawali, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oman Flour Mills company, and Haitham bin Mohammed al Fannah, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Flour Mills Company. They went around the complex and commended the use of modern technologies in the baking processes. Shaikh Salah bin Hilal al Mawali, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oman Flour Mills, said Atyab Bakery was set up as a national project to support Oman’s food security goals. Rated among the top bakeries in the Middle East, the plant operates to international standards. Its products are distributed not only within Oman, but the wider Gulf region and internationally as well. Haitham bin Mohammed al Fannah, CEO of Oman Flour Mills, said that Atyab Food Industries produces various fresh and frozen baked products, such as all types of bread, cakes, butter croissants, pies, sweets, puffs, and various other forms of bread, as well as healthy bread products such as sliced bread, high-protein omega-3 bread, fibre bread etc. These products — part of a portfolio of 300 items — are available in the market under the brand name “Gold”, “Atyab” and “Bon Vivant”. The company utilises the best non-hydrogenated oils in its operations. The factory has top quality and food safety certificates, including HACCP and ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000. The bakery is also regularly audited by internationally established food safety and hygiene experts. It has consistently achieved high rankings. Atyab Food Industries supplies its fresh and frozen products to a number of government organisations in the Sultanate, as well as hypermarkets and fast-food restaurants, including McDonald’s, Kentucky’s, Hardee’s, Burger King, Costa cafe, Starbucks, and so on.