Interview:  Cemalettin Kanaş

Al-Hazaa Investment Group, a family business with over 80 years of history, has expanded from a single mill in Iraq to a diversified multinational enterprise. In this interview, Executive Director Ibrahim Al Hazaa discusses the company’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and strategic partnerships, highlighting its role in ensuring food security and leading the digital transformation of the milling industry.

Ibrahim Al Hazaa
Executive Director at Al-Hazaa Investment Group

With a history spanning over 80 years, Al-Hazaa Investment Group has grown from a single flour mill in Iraq into a diversified multinational enterprise. Today, the group operates across key sectors, including grain storage and handling, flour and feed milling, pasta and noodles production, plastic manufacturing, and renewable energy, strengthening food security in the Middle East.

In this exclusive interview, Ibrahim Al Hazaa, Executive Director at Al-Hazaa Investment Group, shares insights into the company’s journey, sustainability initiatives, and strategic partnerships. He discusses the group’s commitment to innovation, its role in ensuring a reliable supply of essential food products, and the future of milling in an era of digital transformation.

Al Hazaa Investment Group has a rich history spanning multiple industries, from grain milling to renewable energy investments. Could you share the story of how the group evolved into such a diversified enterprise?

Al-Hazaa Investment Group is a family business that was first established in 1942 by the late Sharif Al-Hazaa, who founded the first flour mill in his city, Tikrit, Iraq. Then his eldest son, Mr. Jamal Al-Hazaa took over the Group’s management and, under his leadership, the company grew from a single mill into a diversified enterprise. Today, we operate across five key industries: grain storage and handling, flour and feed milling, pasta and noodles production, plastic manufacturing, and renewable energy engineering, spanning five countries in the Middle East.

Thanks to Mr. Jamal’s leadership and the family’s vision and dedication to advancing the industry and strengthening regional food security, we have continuously innovated and adapted to market needs while staying true to our core values.

HOW SOLAR ENERGY DRIVES OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS

Your facilities run entirely on clean solar energy, demonstrating your commitment to sustainability. What challenges did you face in transitioning to renewable energy, and how has this impacted your operations and carbon footprint?

I’d like to clarify that currently only our operations in Jordan run entirely on solar energy. While we aim to expand our renewable energy efforts in other countries, this transition will gradually be implemented in our other locations.

Our solar plant in Jordan is the largest private-use solar power plant in the country. The transition to renewable energy wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Our flour mills and food production facilities require substantial power, and energy cost represent one of the largest operational expenses, and relying on conventional energy sources presented us with high costs. Therefore, we accepted the challenges we faced in transitioning to renewable, in addition to that the Jordanian government strongly supports green initiatives, which made the shift smoother.

We adopted the wheeling process, where we generate power at our solar plant and transfer it to the nearest government station while utilizing energy from an existing governmental distributor. By the end of each month the amount of energy used in our facilities are calculated by the government and is equivalised with the energy we generated at our plant. This setup ensured a seamless transition with no operational disruptions. The impact has been significant – reducing our carbon footprint by over 18,000 tons annually and cutting operational costs. Running on 100% clean energy gives us a competitive edge and reinforces our commitment to sustainability. 

ENSURING FOOD SECURITY THROUGH INTEGRATION AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Food security is a critical global concern, and your company actively contributes to it. How does Al Hazaa Investment Group ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of essential products across the Middle East?

Our operations are centered on essential food products, including wheat and maize flour, pasta, noodles, and animal feed. These products are crucial for food security, and our integrated operations allow us to maintain quality and efficiency. For example, the flour we mill in our facilities serve as the primary raw material for pasta and noodle production, and we also manufacture polypropylene sacks for flour and feed packaging.

Our procurement strategies, supported by global partnerships, allow us to source the highest quality raw materials while mitigating risks from market volatility, as in some of our operations, we are our own suppliers, which ensure a stable and high-quality supply chain, which is an important factor in a region like the Middle East that heavily rely on imported grains. Our long-standing industry expertise has allowed us to expand across five countries and implement strategies that enhance food security. Over the years, we’ve gained a competitive edge, particularly with our presence in key Middle Eastern ports and owning few grain unloading stations at major seaports.

INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIONS DRIVING EXCELLENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Your collaborations with industry leaders like Bühler Group and Starlinger are impressive. Could you provide examples of key projects or innovations these partnerships have enabled?

Our partnerships with Buhler Group, Starlinger, and other leading suppliers have been long-standing and instrumental to our success. Our collaboration with Buhler extends to several decades, with the majority of our current running facilities operating with their machinery, helping to produce essential food products and enhancing regional food security. I can count a lot of projects that were mutually implemented by Buhler but I will limit myself to mentioning our latest mill, which is the Red Sea Mill in Aqaba, Jordan. It is a top-notch fully automated mill, equipped with the latest Buhler technologies and using the Buhler Insights digital platform. 

Similarly, our partnership with Starlinger has been pivotal in establishing the largest polypropylene sacks manufacturing facility in the Middle East, with a production capacity of 150 million sack annually. The New Plastic Industrial Co. is a state-of-the-art sustainable printing facility, it does not only serve our group’s needs but also exports to many countries worldwide. These partnerships aren’t just about sharing technological expertise, they’re about shared values and commitment to excellence.

With operations in Jordan, Iraq, the UAE, and Egypt, your presence spans key regions. How do you ensure consistent quality and adaptability across such diverse markets?

Operating in different countries presents both opportunities and challenges. Each market has distinct needs, regulations, and consumer preferences. However, our extensive experience has given us a deep understanding of these variations, allowing us to tailor our strategies while maintaining consistent quality across all markets.

“WE ARE MEETING MIDDLE EASTERN DEMAND WITH EUROPEAN INNOVATION”

As an exclusive agent for several European companies, how do you bridge market needs between the Middle East and Europe? What trends do you foresee shaping the industry in the coming years?

The Middle Eastern market is large and constantly growing, driven by rapid population increases, and strong purchasing power. As a result, demand for food products continues to raise, making the region highly attractive to European and international companies. These companies seek experienced and trusted partners to help them adapt their technologies and innovations to local market needs – something that we as Al-Hazaa Investment Group highly value and actively support.

One of the biggest industry trends is the increasing demand for fortified and healthier food products, driven by rising consumer awareness. Additionally, digital transformation in grain processing is reshaping the industry, enhancing efficiency and sustainability. We believe AI and automation will play a key role in the future of milling and food production, and we are closely following these developments.

GLOBAL EXHIBITIONS AND IDMA

You’ve been actively participating in high-profile exhibitions such as Gulfood and IAOM MEA. How do these platforms help you showcase your innovations and build strategic relationships?

Participating in global exhibitions has significantly helped us expand our network, strengthen relationships with customers and partners, and attract potential clients. These platforms also keep us up to date with the latest industry innovations and market trends. Over the years, our presence at these events has played a crucial role in expanding our client base and increasing brand recognition. I am also looking forward to participating in the IDMA Istanbul, which is another key event in the region.

What are Al Hazaa Investment Group’s long-term goals? Are there specific areas or technologies you’re focusing on to further solidify your role as a leader in the region?

Our long-term vision is to help achieve the human right to access safe and healthy food at affordable prices. We are focused on expanding our presence in the Middle East and aim to establish operations in key locations, particularly along major Arabian Sea ports.

We are also continuously expanding our operations to meet growing demand. Last year, Al-Hazaa Group expanded many of its existing facilities and increased their production capacities.

NAVIGATING MARKET VOLATILITY

Every journey comes with its own set of challenges. What are the biggest hurdles your company faces in today’s market, and how are you turning them into opportunities?

One of the biggest challenges we face is market volatility, particularly in wheat prices, which fluctuate daily. Freight and shipping costs are also unpredictable and subject to many challenges due to some geopolitical tensions. To mitigate these risks, we have diversified our grain sourcing strategies and maintain strategic reserves across all our locations. We also have very strong relationships with our suppliers, which helps us a lot in planning our future purchases.

Additionally, our investment in renewable energy has helped reduce operational costs, making our business more resilient in the face of economic fluctuations. 

DRIVING SUCCESS THROUGH QUALITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND INNOVATION

As a visionary leader, what motivates you the most in driving Al Hazaa Investment Group’s success, and what message would you like to convey to the global feed and grain industry?

My greatest motivation comes from our mission to produce essential and healthy food supplies sustainably. Food is fundamental, and ensuring a reliable, high-quality supply is a responsibility we take seriously, I’d like to quote our late founder, who used to say “Working in the food production industry gives you Ujrah wa Ajr (أجرة‭ ‬وأجر)”, which in Arabic means wage and god’s reward. His words reflect the idea that if you work in this field, you will not only earn a fair wage for your efforts but will also receive a spiritual reward from God for the good deed that you are doing in supporting and sustaining the food industry.

Expanding our work while remaining true to our values of quality, sustainability and innovation is incredibly rewarding and is something that I am proud of, and also happy to see that our vision is being carried forward by the next generation. We are now in the fourth generation of the family joining in this mission.

To the global feed and grain market I’d say: collaboration and adaptability are key. Given the rapidly changing world, one should embrace technology, sustainability and strategic partnership and that will guarantee their place in future markets.