Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsui", Head Office: Tokyo, President and CEO: Kenichi Hori) has agreed to invest in Wadi Poultry S.A.E. & related subsidiaries ("Wadi") through a holding company (based in the UAE) and has concluded an agreement to this effect. Wadi's integrated production business in Egypt encompasses broiler production and processing, processed food manufacturing, the sale and distribution of these products, and the procurement of feed grain. The company has also been producing Parent Stock (the parents of broilers) for over 30 years. After the share acquisition, its holding company will become an associated company of Mitsui.

Chicken meat has the highest feed efficiency of any animal protein. There are few religious constraints on its consumption, and it can be supplied at a relatively affordable price. For these reasons, chicken is expected to contribute to the sustainable growth of emerging economies, where demand is expected to rise in step with population and economic growth.

Egypt is undergoing especially remarkable economic development, and its population is expanding rapidly. These trends have been accompanied by an increase in per capita consumption of chicken meat, and sustained demand growth is expected going forward as well.

Mitsui and its group companies, including its long-standing subsidiary Prifoods Co., Ltd. ("Prifoods"), have been developing an integrated production business covering all stages from feed grain procurement to broiler production and processing, meat packing, and food manufacturing and distribution, especially in Japan and other Asian countries. In recent years, this business has started to expand into North and West Africa. In 2018, Mitsui invested in Zalar Holding S.A. ("Zalar Holding"), the biggest broiler business in Morocco and Senegal, and has used business expertise and knowledge accumulated by Prifoods to optimize Zalar Holding's operations, leading to productivity improvements and the supply of reliable, safe, high-quality products. The aim of this investment in Wadi is to expand Mitsui's chicken business cluster into Egypt, which is one of the largest markets in Africa in terms of population.

Mitsui has identified "wellness ecosystem creation" as one of its key strategic initiatives in its Medium-term Management Plan 2026. By supplying healthy food, Mitsui endeavors to contribute to the quality improvement of today's increasingly diverse consumer lifestyles.

Through this investment, Mitsui aims to expand the added value of its food and nutrition business cluster, enhance health and well-being through food, and thereby support the realization of richer and brighter lives for people.

Company Profile

Chicken Production Business in Egypt with an Over 30-year Track Record

Farming house near Cairo surrounded by olive plantation