Nestlé has contributed over three million food and beverage servings to relief efforts run by different entities in Saudi Arabia, including local authorities, food banks, and hospitals, impacting 23,000 families and 14,000 healthcare professionals. The contributions included dairy, cereals, culinary, coffee, and confectionary products. The company also offered eleven tons of pet food to animal shelters in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia welcomed Nestlé as the first corporation to establish direct sales and distribution operations in the Kingdom in 2011, following more than 55 years of successful presence in the country where the company has invested over $140 million over the past five years. Nestlé currently has twelve offices and operates seven water factories across the Kingdom and employs nearly 5,600 people.
“Though the pandemic posed many challenges on everyone around the world, we were able to overcome hurdles encountered in the supply of our food and beverage products, thanks to the tireless dedication of our teams in Saudi Arabia and the support of authorities in the Kingdom,” said Hossam Abdulrahim, Nestlé’s General Business Manager in Saudi Arabia.
“Our priorities continue to focus on three main objectives: 1. safeguarding the safety and wellbeing of our employees, our collaborators, business partners and the communities we are a part of; 2. ensuring continued production and delivery of food and beverage products to help meet the nutritional needs of individuals and families; and 3. stepping up relief efforts to local communities and healthcare professionals.”
The local efforts are part of Nestlé mobilizations in the Middle East and North Africa supporting more than 30 entities in 17 countries.
In addition, the company’s various divisions are contributing in their different expertise. Nestlé Professional for example continues to offer pragmatic support to its business partners in the hospitality industry, as they reopen to welcome back their customers. This is being done through its “Always open for You” initiative which benefited foodservice outlets in Saudi Arabia with offerings including payment term extensions, coffee machine rental fees suspensions, and provision of free products, trainings, marketing and other services.