Bahrain, Serbia sign deals spanning dairy and digital domains

BAHRAIN – Bahrain has made strides to broaden its trade relationships with Serbia, aiming to diversify its economy beyond oil reliance by fostering new partnerships in sectors such as dairy, digital technology, and other industries.

The Bahraini delegation, led by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, engaged in discussions with their Serbian counterparts in Belgrade.

This meeting coincided with the visit of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, signifying a strategic push for diversification.

During these meetings, both countries expressed their commitment to explore collaborative opportunities spanning food production, dairy, IT, construction, and financial services—highlighting a strategic pivot toward a diversified economic agenda.

The discussions were co-chaired by BCCI Second Vice Chairman Mohammed Abduljabbar Al Kooheji and the Deputy President of the Serbian Chamber, Mihailo Vesović, emphasizing the potential of the private sector in catalyzing partnerships that align with global economic trends.

The Bahraini side highlighted its infrastructure and flexible regulatory framework as key advantages, positioning the kingdom as a pivotal investment hub for the Gulf region.

In contrast, Serbia’s capacity in food production and manufacturing offers a complementary strength that facilitates mutual economic growth.

Additionally, both parties attended a briefing on Expo 2027 in Belgrade, themed ‘Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All’.

The event is poised to attract global participants and spur innovation across various sectors such as sustainable development, creative industries, technology, health, and sport.

These initiatives underscore Bahrain’s efforts to expand its economic landscape by integrating diverse industries, including food, dairy, IT, and financial services, signalling a comprehensive strategy shift “from dairy to digital”.

The news comes Arla Foods invested EUR 50m in its Bahrain site to grow market, leading position in cheese glass jars.

By utilising the roof of added building structures for solar panels as well as changing the cooling setup, the investment will also reduce the carbon emissions per ton of product produced.

Arla Foods is already the market leader in the important cheese glass jar category across the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with the popular spreadable cheese sold under the Puck® brand.

The glass jar with the deep blue Puck logo on the front is an iconic staple in countless homes across the MENA region where the product is a clear market leader in the category.

Demand is especially high during Ramadan and back-to-school seasons and during these peaks, production at the site in Bahrain is almost at capacity. And in just a few years, the two occasions will take place at the same time due to the date change of Ramadan. 

Since Arla Foods acquired the production site in Bahrain in 2019, the dairy cooperative has invested in updating and expanding the site, making it a cornerstone in the important MENA region, which is the biggest commercial region in Arla Foods’ International business segment.

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