Alpella Wafers and Bars

distributor• Yemen• Member since 1990

Al-Gawzi (Al-Jawzi) for General Trading & Import presents itself as an importer and wholesale distributor of all kinds of fast-moving consumer goods in Yemen, headquartered in Sana'a in the Al-Nahdayn area on 22 May Street, branching from 50 Street. The company states that it was formally established in its current form in 1990 under the ownership of the Al-Gawzi Brothers under Yemeni law, and that its trading roots go back to 1974, when it started as a wholesale trader of chocolates and confectionery under its founder Ahmed Al-Gawzi, importing goods from neighbouring countries. The company says it represents international manufacturers, companies and agencies, and that its aim since formation has been importing and wholesale distribution covering all parts of the Republic: it distributes its range in all major cities through its van salesmen or through a system of authorised agents. It describes a marketing strategy that does not rely on wholesale alone but aims to reach every retail store in the country through route planning and proper product display, applies FIFO (first in, first out) in all its stores, and says its sales representatives arrange, price and clean products in the shops. What Al-Gawzi distributes centres on chocolate, biscuits, wafers, cakes and breakfast products. Its website shows brands including Ritter Sport (Germany), Bahlsen (Germany), McVitie's (United Kingdom), Alpella by Ülker (Turkey), Garoto (Brazil), El Mordjene hazelnut cream (Algeria), Halk cakes (Turkey), Manner sticks (Austria), Witor's chocolates (Italy), Schär gluten-free products (Italy) and First halawa tahini made in Oman, alongside Kägi, Guylian, Kruger, Embaré, Mavalério, Napoli, Zade and Zeelandia; its older website also lists Karsa and Borovec among its agencies. The company says it treats its agencies and customers as partners and counts transparency among its core principles, and that in coordination with its principals it provides staff training, order management, marketing-plan implementation, transport, handling of damaged and expired stock, credit policy and pricing. Its chairman's letter says the business began in a small shop in the old city of Sana'a in the early 1980s and that its goal is to bring safe, well-known, premium-quality products to customers and keep them available throughout the country.