Food & Drug Corporation (FDC)

Food & Drug Corporation (FDC) presents itself as a leading importer, marketer and distributor of fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceuticals in Lebanon, headquartered in the Verdun area of Beirut. Its website states that FDC was established in 2000 through the merger of two companies: Pharmabel (founded 1974), specialised in the sales and distribution of pharmaceuticals and para-pharmaceuticals, and Marketing Services (founded 1979), a major player in the FMCG market, giving it more than 40 years of expertise. The company says it has a team of 650 professionals and a portfolio of more than 30 brands. The company says its distribution department has set up an industry-leading system that handles all logistics, running a large fleet of trucks and strategically located depots to reach more than 7,000 outlets all over Lebanon. Its warehouse is in Choueifat, and it states that from the beginning of 2015 its storage capacity grew to 21,500 m² (15,000 pallets) by connecting to a nearby plot of land. An import department brings in a carefully selected yet vast variety of products, while the marketing department assigns each brand portfolio to a dedicated marketer. The Food and Beverage section of its website lists the following brands with the year FDC started distributing them: Italian Pomì tomatoes since 1980, Canderel sweeteners since 1984, Aptamil formula milk and baby food since 1997, Maltese Devon biscuits since 2002, the Turkish Ülker brand of biscuits, chocolate and confectionery since 2006, Crix baked corn snacks since 2008, Red Bull energy drink since 2011, Rio Mare canned tuna, salmon and mackerel since 2012, Elephant pretzels since 2015, Lavina tea since 2016 and Caspresso coffee capsules by Casper & Gambini's since 2017. FDC also owns its private label Deli, launched in 1998, whose range includes pasta and canned vegetables, fruits and seafood. The company describes its mission as providing consumers with everyday brands that improve the quality of their lives, and its vision as remaining a key player in the supply and distribution of consumer goods and healthcare products while expanding its market coverage and adding value for partners and brand owners. It says it has received awards at regional distributor events, including Channel Management and Best Practices awards at the regional GSK distributor conference in Cape Town in 2013 and a Silver Award for outdoor advertising at the Pikasso Awards in Lebanon.