Sustainability at Almarai

We manage nutrition and wellbeing within an evolving regulatory and market environment, shaped by changing nutrition standards, labeling requirements, and consumer expectations across the region. These dynamics influence product formulation, packaging, marketing practices, and portfolio management, particularly given our scale and regional footprint. Addressing nutrition consistently across categories requires a coordinated, portfolio-level approach rather than isolated product decisions.

From a business perspective, nutrition and wellbeing influence consumer trust, brand preference, and long-term market positioning. Expectations around transparency, responsible marketing, and nutritional quality are becoming more prominent among regulators, customers, and investors. 

Almarai's organizational values, along with our commitment to responsible marketing and communication, serve as the cornerstone for this approach. Our Responsible Marketing Policy applies across all consumer-facing channels, including advertising, digital media, sponsorships, and packaging, and establishes clear expectations for transparent, accurate, and culturally appropriate communication. The policy includes specific safeguards relating to age targeting, the depiction of children, and the avoidance of promoting excessive or compulsive consumption. During the year, the Responsible Marketing Policy was revised by clarifying its operational scope, eliminating any ambiguity regarding the depiction of children in advertising, and fully aligning with modern digital platforms and social media management. Oversight sits within the Corporate Marketing Division, with executive-level accountability for implementation and compliance across the Group. Policy requirements are reinforced through internal content review processes, agency alignment, and compliance checks prior to publication.

Nutrition information and labeling are governed through alignment with applicable regulatory requirements across our markets, including Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) regulations. All nutrition and health information disclosed on product packaging, websites, and digital channels is subject to approval processes designed to ensure scientific accuracy, clarity, and regulatory compliance. Labels include required information such as serving size, allergen disclosures, and nutrient reference values, and all nutrition and health claims are reviewed prior to use. We monitor consumer feedback and inquiry channels to enable clarification and corrective action where required.

Product composition and nutrient profiles are managed through internal nutrition standards, regulatory guidance, and product governance processes that inform formulation, reformulation, and innovation decisions. Regulatory updates and nutrition standards issued by SFDA, GSO, and other relevant authorities are integrated into formulation requirements and communicated to business units to guide product development. This framework enables consistent decision-making across categories while balancing nutritional considerations, product quality, and regulatory expectations.

Almarai’s scale as an integrated food producer also underpins its contribution to food availability and stability across the GCC. We embed nutrition and wellbeing considerations within broader production, sourcing, and distribution systems that contribute to supply continuity and access to affordable food products. Engagement with regulators, industry platforms, and academic and scientific partners informs the ongoing development of nutrition-related practices and alignment with national food security and public health objectives.

In the juice portfolio in Saudi Arabia, all products now carry a “no added sugar” claim, reflecting updated regulatory requirements and portfolio-wide implementation. In bakery, a phased salt-reduction program is underway, with targets to reduce salt levels in bread products from current levels of approximately 1 percent to 0.85 percent by 2028. All bread products are already below the maximum salt levels recommended by SFDA and GCC standards, with the planned reductions reflecting a further step beyond baseline regulatory compliance. Alongside this, the bakery portfolio is being expanded to include whole-wheat and fortified bread products, with initial launches planned from 2026 onwards.

Across dairy and processed food categories, new product development and reformulation efforts during the year increasingly prioritized nutritional attributes such as higher protein content, reduced or zero added sugar, lactose-free options, and fat reduction, while maintaining product quality and taste. These priorities are reflected in the medium-term innovation pipeline for 2026–2027.

Within processed cheese and related categories, multiple projects progressed during the year to optimize formulations through fat reduction, ingredient improvements, and recipe optimization, alongside alternative sourcing approaches to drive cost efficiency and supply continuity.

During the reporting period, we also commenced development of a nutrition dashboard to enable future tracking of nutrition-related metrics, including nutrient profiling coverage and reformulation outcomes.

During the year, preparations advanced to expand local manufacturing of specialized and clinical nutrition products to strengthen availability and resilience in essential nutrition categories. Plans are in place to locally manufacture selected clinical nutrition products, including formulations for patients with renal failure and cancer, with targeted launches from 2026.

In infant nutrition, development of a premature formula aligned with European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) guidelines progressed during the year, supporting access to locally produced specialized nutrition products for critical care contexts.

During the reporting period, consumer-facing communications continued to incorporate messaging on balanced consumption and healthy lifestyles across digital and traditional channels. As an example, the annual Ramadan campaign focused on balanced food consumption and food preservation, reflecting the application of responsible marketing principles within culturally relevant contexts.

Alongside nutrition-specific initiatives, efforts continued during the year to strengthen food availability and system resilience across the GCC. These included sourcing diversification initiatives, formulation adjustments to manage cost and supply risks, and participation in regional industry platforms and public-private forums focused on food security and supply continuity. Collaboration with academic and scientific partners also continued to support research and innovation relevant to regional food-system challenges.