Jeddah: Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef today inspected several national factories in Jeddah's First Industrial City to review production lines and readiness to meet the needs of pilgrims during the 1447 AH Hajj season. He was accompanied by Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) CEO Majed Al-Argoubi.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the field tour included a visit to the facilities of the Saudia Dairy and Foodstuff Company (SADAFCO), whose factory has an annual production capacity of 300 million tons of dairy products, juices, and ice cream. Daily production during the Hajj season exceeds 1.7 million liters, with products supplied to local and regional markets, reflecting the efficiency, quality, and competitiveness of national industries.

Alkhorayef also reviewed production lines at one of the bakery factories affiliated with Almarai. The factory covers an area of 21,070 square meters and produces more than 800 million pies and pastries annually. Its production capacity increases by 40% during the Hajj season, reaching 2.8 million units per day.

These factories play a vital role in supplying catering centers, Hajj campaigns, pilgrim service companies, and hotels in the holy sites with a variety of food products during the Hajj season while adhering to the highest standards of quality, health, and safety.

The Jeddah Food Cluster, launched in 2024, represents a major step forward for the Kingdom's food industries sector and serves as an important platform enabling national factories to meet pilgrims' food needs. The cluster currently includes more than 354 factories, with plans to increase the number to 800 factories by 2035 through investments exceeding SAR20 billion.