Khimji Ramdas – Consumer Products & Retail

The Consumer Products & Retail division is one of the business clusters of the Omani Khimji Ramdas group, which is headquartered in Muscat. The group traces its history to 1870, when the merchant Khimji Ramdas settled in Oman after sailing from Mandvi in Kutch, India, and today operates in four clusters – Lifestyle, Consumer Products, Projects & Logistics and Infrastructure – with more than 400 global and local brands. The division's distribution business imports and distributes international and regional brands in the Sultanate, including food and beverage brands. The group runs this division's distribution offices in Barka and lists among its core strengths a distribution network of 3,500 points of direct distribution, 125 distribution vehicles and 100,000 m2 of modern warehousing across Oman. The company says its modern logistics and customer business development resources have taken Kellogg's into a wide range of channels including modern trade, groceries, mini-markets, petrol station stores and restaurants, and that Bel Group products are available throughout the Sultanate. In food and beverages, the company states that it is the sole distributor of Kellogg's breakfast cereals in Oman, the distribution partner of Red Bull energy drink, and has distributed the French Bel Group's processed cheeses for more than 20 years, including La Vache qui rit, Kiri, Babybel, Les Enfants and Abu Al Walad cheese. The division also acts as agent for brands covering both food and other consumer goods; the food brands named include Mentos, Fruittella, Chupa Chups, Smint, Big Babol, Alpenliebe, Foster Clark's, Afia, Britannia, Dalda and Capilano honey. The company also says it began exporting Omani dates about 150 years ago and today imports bulk commodities such as rice, sugar and milk powder. The company states that its partnership with Bel Group has lasted more than 20 years and won a Best Distributor in the Middle East and North Africa award, and that it has been selected as preferred agent and partner by a number of international and GCC brands thanks to its sales and distribution track record. The group says it places great emphasis on safeguarding the equity of the global brands entrusted to it, that some of its partnerships have lasted more than five decades, and that it is committed to supporting Oman Vision 2040.