Draft:Wadi Group
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Submission declined on 18 May 2025 by ToadetteEdit (talk).
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| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agribusiness |
| Founder | Tony Freiji |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Tony Freiji (CEO) |
| Revenue | USD 350 million (2023)[1] |
| Website | Official website |
Wadi Group, established in 1984 and headquartered in Giza, Egypt, is a family-owned conglomerate operating in the agribusiness sector, comprising 12 companies. The company is involved in poultry production, animal feed manufacturing, and agro-food processing.
The Mazareh sector includes the poultry and agro-food divisions, with key business-to-business companies such as Katkoot al Wadi and A'laf al Wadi, as well as business-to-consumer brands including Wadi Food and Wadi Farms. The Sina’at sector comprises the group’s industrial subsidiaries, including Wadi Glass (now known as Zugag), Tabreed, and other industrial projects such as Idafat, Asmida, and Tawseel.[2]
In 2019 the company was ranked the 6th largest animal feed producer on the African continent, holding a 15% share of the Egyptian feed market.[3]
Wadi Food
[edit]Wadi Food is the original venture, from which Wadi Group later emerged. It began with olive groves covering 30 hectares located about 85 kilometers south of Alexandria. As of 2015, the company produced 10,000 metric tons of pickled olives and 1,000 metric tons of olive oil annually for local and international markets. Over time, Wadi Food expanded its product range to include more than 100 items, primarily in the organic food sector. The company exports its products to various markets, including the Gulf States, Canada, the United States, and Europe.[2]
Wadi Food’s production emphasizes organic and natural products, with certifications adhering to international standards. The company has maintained operations amid challenges in the domestic Egyptian market, where consumer demand for organic products remains limited.[2]
History
[edit]Wadi Group was founded by a Lebanese family of poultry farmers, tracing its origins to 1957 when the eldest brother began working in the poultry industry in Lebanon. The outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War forced the family to flee the country, seeking refuge in neighboring countries. Tony Freiji, who later established Wadi Group, settled in Egypt three decades ago.[4]
The business remains family-owned, with management shared between two extended Lebanese families, the Freijis and Nasrallahs. To address governance challenges, the company introduced a "family council" that manages communication between business operations and over 45 family members. The council is part of broader corporate governance reforms implemented with guidance from the International Finance Corporation.[5]
While poultry continues to be the company's primary focus, Wadi Group has diversified into multiple sectors, including large-scale feed manufacturing, logistics, olive oil production, and the cultivation of fresh vegetables and fruits for export. As of 2014 Wadi Group operated across seven industries and employed over 3,500 people, maintaining a significant presence in Egypt and Sudan.[4]
In 2023 Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co. acquired an undisclosed stake in Wadi Poultry, a subsidiary of Wadi Group. Wadi Poultry operates in food production, poultry processing, and animal feed sectors. The investment, in partnership with another Japanese company, Prifoods, aims to expand integrated poultry production, from feed procurement to distribution, focusing on Japan and Asian markets.[1][6]
In December 2024, Wadi Food, a subsidiary of Wadi Group, set a Guinness World Record for the longest rotating chicken grill during its fifth annual Olive Harvest Festival. The grill measured 62.8 meters and could cook 390 chickens simultaneously. The event, held at the company's farm along the Cairo–Alexandria desert road, celebrated Wadi Food's contributions to Egypt's olive oil industry and agricultural sector.[7]
Family governance model
[edit]As the business expanded and transitioned into second- and third-generation leadership, Wadi Group undertook governance reforms to ensure long-term sustainability. Working in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, the group implemented a series of structured governance practices typically associated with institutional enterprises. These included separating ownership from day-to-day management, restructuring the board to include non-family members, and creating dedicated subcommittees for audit and governance.[5]
One of Wadi Group’s notable innovations is the creation of a “family council,” an elected body that facilitates communication between the business and more than 45 extended family stakeholders. The council is responsible for policies related to employment eligibility and succession planning, and it helps preserve cohesion among family shareholders. Only relatives with appropriate qualifications, relevant external work experience, and a vacancy in the firm are considered for employment, an effort to balance meritocratic hiring with familial continuity.[5]
Another element of Wadi Group’s unique model is the “family assembly,” a multi-day event convened every 18 months in either Egypt or Lebanon, bringing together three generations of family members. These gatherings aim to strengthen interpersonal ties while educating younger members about the company’s structure and leadership. One such event included a Scottish country dancing gathering held on an olive farm in the Egyptian desert.[5]
Wadi Group’s experience is often cited by the IFC as a model for how family-run enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa can adopt formal governance practices without sacrificing their founding values.[8] While the company has periodically considered going public, it has chosen instead to focus on internal sustainability.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Harvey, Simon (2023-11-22). "Mitsui & Co. takes stake in Egypt's Wadi Poultry". Just Food. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ a b c Said, Hagar Adib (2015). "Towards More Organic Consumption: The Case of Wadifood". The MENA Journal of Business Case Studies: c1–7. doi:10.5171/2015.262763. S2CID 185154505.
- ^ "Top 10 largest animal feed manufacturers in Africa". WATTAgNet. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Poultry Industry in Egypt: Wadi Group's Leadership". Marcopolis. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Saleh, Heba (2014-10-21). "Family businesses: sons, daughters and outsiders". Financial Times. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ Tahir, Sana (2023-11-16). "Japanese Conglomerate Mitsui To Invest In Egypt's Wadi Group To Expand Poultry Business". Forbes Middle East. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Egyptian company Wadi Food achieves world record for longest rotating grill". Daily News Egypt. 19 December 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ Abouzaid, Sanaa (2014). "Good governance holds the key for family business" (PDF). International Finance Corporation. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
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