Simply Abu Dhabi III

concentration and regular feeding. Our sturgeon will produce an extremely high quality of caviar and fillets for the local and international markets for many years to come.” At approximately 50,000 m2, the factory is the largest aquaculture recirculating facility in the world in terms of size and capacity, and has been developed by United Food Technologies AG, world experts in water recirculating technology and equipment, who brought a variety of patent pending water purification, caviar production and digital monitoring systems to Abu Dhabi. Christoph Hartung, Chairman, United Food Technologies, commented: “We have worked closely with Bin Salem over the past three years to develop a factory perfectly suited to the environment here. The Royal Caviar Company will be the largest caviar production facility in the world to move to reliable monthly production, maximising the productivity of the factory itself. It has been a long journey working hand in hand with Bin Salem, but we are excited to be here in Abu Dhabi to see a busy factory with fish arriving each week, and we look forward to the first harvest of Abu Dhabi caviar.” Establishing a brand The unusual idea for a caviar factory in Abu Dhabi was developed several years ago by a team of passionate visionaries at Bin Salem who recognized an opportunity for an attractive financial return while relieving the global pressure on stocks of endangered sturgeon. Respected partners and service suppliers of The Royal Caviar Company include Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Etihad Crystal Cargo, Salem Freight, Maersk Line, AquaLife, who provide special containers to ensure utmost levels of safety for the sturgeon during their sea transport, and AquaOrbis. The significance of having such prestigious companies on board is highlighted by the experience they can offer. For example, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank provides valuable services that cover corporate, retail and commercial banking, treasury derivatives, infrastructure finance, private banking and wealth management and boast a large and loyal customer base. With a strong At the press conference on June 8 in Abu Dhabi, The Royal Caviar Company also announced the impending delivery of around 120,000 sturgeon eggs, which will be the UAE’s first home-grown sturgeon, and the gift of 20 rare albino sturgeons to the factory by United Food Technologies AG. Ahmad Al Dhaheri, CEO and Vice Chairman of Bin Salem, announced: “Bin Salem has been planning and developing this business for several years, and it is a tribute to every stakeholder and partner that we can announce our plans now that the factory is complete. Abu Dhabi is ideally placed to become one of the world’s most successful producers of caviar, as we are convenient to the fastest growing markets in the Middle East and Asia, and I look forward to The Royal Caviar Company being the caviar of choice across the globe.” Supplying the world Caviar has been considered a delicacy for centuries, with demand for high quality caviar increasing year after year. The Royal Caviar Company aims to serve both national and international markets. With the factory in Abu Dhabi reaching full capacity within the next four years, The Royal Caviar Company will satisfy approximately 10% of the global supply/demand imbalance, and will become the largest caviar factory in the world offering a supply of high quality caviar on a reliable monthly basis. This is music to our ears, as with our regular visits to Abu Dhabi we tend to treat ourselves to a little indulgence. In addition to high quality caviar, The Royal Caviar Company will be a high volume producer of sturgeon fillets which are also a delicacy in many countries. Robert Harper, Group Commercial Director, Bin Salem, explained; “Abu Dhabi is an ideal location for distribution to the world’s growing markets for high quality caviar and sturgeon fillets. In fact in the UAE alone, demand is around 14 tonnes per year. Cutting edge re-circulating technology and digital process control ensures that the sturgeon enjoy an ideal habitat with carefully controlled PH levels, oxygen franchise support network across the UAE and two branches in India they strive to become the UAE’s most modern and service orientated bank and consider their strength to lie in the retail area. As Bin Salem Holding will be work to develop a consumer and retail brand identity, they hope to establish a retail brand in the UAE, locally while also focusing on exports to Europe, the Americas and Far East, so such partnerships will prove invaluable for the future. Michel Nassour, Chief Financial Officer at Bin Salem, explained; “The Bin Salem team has searched the globe for the best partners, and we found them in United Food Technologies AG, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, ensuring our vision was matched by the world’s top expertise. ADCB was with us every step of the way, helping us to put the dreams of our team into sharp financial focus.” Talking about the new brand identity and official name for the caviar factory Robert Harper explained; “The branding of The Royal Caviar Company is evocative of the regal nature and high quality of product we expect to deliver. The branding is simple, yet striking and classic, reflecting both the caviar egg and the Arabic core of the brand, so it is a perfect way to launch the values of the company. We will soon develop a consumer and retail brand identity, and we look forward to announcing details of that brand later this year.” The caviar of choice As one of the fastest growing markets in the Middle East and Asia, we are thrilled that Abu Dhabi is set to become one of the world’s most successful producers of caviar. Ever-ambitious, by 2015 Bin Salem Holding plans to produce 35 tons of caviar per year. Just like Ahmad Al Dhaheri, CEO and Vice Chairman of Bin Salem, we are greatly looking forward to The Royal Caviar Company being the caviar of choice across the globe. Keep an eye on the A&J diaries – we plan on some scrumptious caviar tastings in the not too distant future! 42 SIMPLY ABU DHABI THE ROYAL CAVIAR COMPANY opens for business