Cargill Establishes Base in Algeria to Strengthen Links with Local Customers

This is certainly the case with Algeria, where local food manufacturers will now be able to take better advantage of our unique portfolio of texturizing ingredients. As with all our customers worldwide, they will be supported by Cargill’s technical, R&D and application experts.

06/01/09 Cargill’s texturizing business is opening the corporation’s first representative office in Algeria, in response to the country’s evolving and growing market and economy. From its new office in Hydra, Algiers, Cargill will market its unmatched portfolio of texturizing ingredients, including hydrocolloids (alginates, carrageenans, pectins, guar and locust bean gums, xanthan gum), soy flours, starches, lecithins, cultures and enzymes and multi-component functional systems.

The new office opened on 1 December 2008 and is headed up by Rabah Zaarir, Algeria market manager for Cargill Texturizing Solutions. Zaarir will be Cargill’s local contact, providing assistance and technical support for customers and food manufacturers looking to improve and optimize the texture, taste and appeal of consumer products.

“Cargill’s texturizers and emulsifiers are already well established on the Algerian market, having been sold for more than 20 years via local agents”, commented Zaarir. “The market has been steadily growing in volume and sophistication of product offering, so the nearer we are to local food manufacturers, the better we can understand how the market is evolving. This new office means we are more in touch with our customers’ needs, as well as regional eating habits and manufacturing processes.”

Denis Palacioglu, sales manager for Middle-East and Africa at Cargill Texturizing Solutions, said: “Setting up this new Cargill base embodies our vision and mission to be a global company, but with a close proximity to our customers at local levels. Wherever we feel the market evolution deserves a stronger presence, we take up the challenge by moving closer to it, and immersing ourselves. This is certainly the case with Algeria, where local food manufacturers will now be able to take better advantage of our unique portfolio of texturizing ingredients. As with all our customers worldwide, they will be supported by Cargill’s technical, R&D and application experts.”

Although Cargill is launching its physical presence in Algeria with its texturizing business, the company has a long history of trade with Algeria and is confident of future expansion into this growing and evolving region, which offers significant development opportunities.

The new Algiers office is further supported by development and application experts based in Cargill’s European R&D centers in Belgium, France, Holland and Spain, serving the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. These application teams develop bespoke solutions adapted to specific market needs and local eating habits.