CAIRO, EGYPT – EQS Newswire – 25 September 2023 – Bühler’s position in the instant noodle market has been strengthened in a targeted expansion, as people turn to an affordable, filling, and convenient source of nutrition in a time of rising food prices. Bühler’s unique technology combined with a rapidly growing market has resulted in the sale of two new noodles lines to two countries.
In contrast to other forms of food production in Egypt, the instant noodle market is growing rapidly as people turn to an alternative source of nutrition. Convenience, a long shelf-life, and affordability have made instant noodles very popular, in addition to the fact that the product is classed as a snack and snack prices have been fixed. Bühler’s sales this year will result in a doubling of the capacity of the Egyptian noodles market by the end of 2024, with its market share expected to increase from 20% to 55%, and in Algeria Bühler’s first noodles installation will generate sales this year.
This year Bühler’s business development team launched an in-depth market analysis o the human nutrition business and came to the conclusion that its position in the noodles market, with approximately < 20% market share in Egypt and no installations in Algeria, did not reflect the unique technology that it offers customers. “The very close collaboration between the regional teams and the noodles business segment in China led to the targeting of the largest food producers. The result was three orders in two emerging markets within 90 days,” says Mahmoud Abdo, Business Development Manager, Value Nutrition, Bühler Cairo.
Egypt’s currency has lost half its value compared with the dollar in just the past year, making it harder for the government to import affordable wheat from Russia and Ukraine, where the war has also driven up prices. The unavailability of raw materials has made it difficult for food producers to maintain profitability, and spiraling food prices have driven people to look for cheaper and more sustainable sources of food. Instant noodles have become a very popular choice since the price is fixed.
Bühler has a very favorable solution in the noodle markets as, in contrast to the competition, the lines are fully automated with higher capacity and lower production costs. It has developed a state-of-the-art process to produce fried instant noodles, setting new standards for the noodle industry. Continuous dough preparation combined with an excellent centralized control system are key features in this fully automated production line. The universal control system with intelligent weighing algorithms guarantees accurate dosing results and water proportioning, which ensures the best possible starting point for the mixing process and thus the perfect product quality.
Currently, the total production of fried noodles in Egypt approximately 1 million pieces per day and that number is expected to increase by 25% this year. The huge potential of the instant noodles export business to the Middle East and Africa (the market is growing at a steady CAGR of 6.4% and will reach USD 84.93 billion by 2029) combined with Bühler’s strategic approach of targeting the largest food companies with a surplus of foreign currency will ensure its long-term success in this market.
About Bühler
Bühler is driven by its purpose of creating innovations for a better world, balancing the needs of economy, humanity, and nature. As a relevant solution partner for the food and mobility industries, Bühler has developed a pathway to achieve a 60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in its operations by 2030, meaning Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes 1 & 2, against a 2019 baseline. It has committed to having solutions ready to multiply by 2025 that reduce energy, waste, and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers. Billions of people come into contact with Bühler technologies as they cover their basic needs for food and mobility every day. Two billion people each day enjoy foods produced on Bühler equipment; and one billion people travel in vehicles manufactured using parts produced with Bühler technology. Countless people wear eyeglasses, use smart phones, and read newspapers and magazines – all of which depend on Bühler process technologies and solutions. Having this global relevance, Bühler is in a unique position to turn today’s global challenges into sustainable business. Bühler contributes to safely feeding the world and is doing its part to protect the climate, producing solutions that make cars, buildings, and machinery more energy efficient.
Bühler spends up to 5% of turnover on research and development annually. In 2022, some 12,700 employees generated a turnover of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family-owned company, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and operates a global network of 105 service stations, 30 manufacturing sites, and Application & Training Centers in 23 countries.