Sigma Capital

27-07-2025

A Japanese company is building a food factory with investments of EGP 2 billion

Source: MIST

Youm7-


As part of his current visit to Japan, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El Khatib held extensive meetings with officials from four Japanese companies to review investment opportunities and potential in the Egyptian market, as well as the potential for these companies to expand their presence and presence in Egypt during the coming period.

The Minister began the meetings with an expanded meeting with representatives from Saraya, one of the leading Japanese companies specializing in health, hygiene, and the environment. The company develops, manufactures, and sells a variety of products for household, medical, and commercial use. The meeting was attended by Masayuki Inoue, Director of Global Operations, and Tomoho Miyazawa, Deputy General Manager.

The Minister stated that the company had launched a project in Egypt called "Saraya Middle East Factory" in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (Ain Sokhna). The project officially began operations in June 2024. It is the only factory globally, among the company's 14 sites, operating in the field of extracting raw jojoba oil, reflecting the company's confidence in the Egyptian market as a regional industrial hub.

Al-Khatib also met with the leadership of Earth Corporation, a leading manufacturer of household pesticides, personal care products, and parapharmaceuticals. Earth Corporation ranks third in the world in terms of sales volume and first in Japan and Asia. The meeting was attended by Kentaro Sato, CEO and Head of Global Management, Yoshihiko Matsuura, General Manager of Global Sales Promotion, and Shinichiro Hyuga, Director of International Sales.

The company expressed its interest in investing in the Egyptian market through establishing a new project or entering into an industrial partnership with local partners. The company sent an exploratory business mission to Egypt in June 2025, in preparation for developing a clear business plan for expansion in the promising Egyptian market.

As part of its support for the pharmaceutical and food industries, the Minister held an expanded meeting with representatives of Otsuka, which operates in Egypt through three major industrial entities: Misr Otsuka in 10th of Ramadan City, which manufactures intravenous solutions; Otsuka El Obour, which was established in 2014 to enhance production capacity; and Otsuka Gebto, a partnership with Gebto Pharma since 2021 to market pharmaceuticals in Egypt and the region. The meeting was attended by Ahmed Zaghloul, Chairman of Otsuka Egypt, and Koichi Okada, Vice President of Otsuka Egypt.

The company's representatives reviewed the plan to establish a new factory for integrated nutritional products under the name "Arab Otsuka Food Supplements." The new plant, with a total investment of approximately EGP 2 billion (USD 40 million), will provide more than 1,400 job opportunities, confirming the company's commitment to deepening local manufacturing and expanding its exports to regional markets.

In the technology and smart industries sector, the Minister met with officials from Sharp Corporation, one of the largest Japanese electronics companies with a global presence in 30 countries and exports its products to more than 160 countries.

The meeting was attended by Tomoki Tamura, Vice President of Global Business Unit and Product Planning, and Yuto Sasaki, Director of Global Alliances and Sales. Ibrahim Mohamed Elaraby, General Manager of Elaraby Group's Tokyo office, also attended from the Egyptian side.

The meeting reviewed details of the long-standing partnership between Sharp and the Egyptian Elaraby Group, which resulted in the establishment of Horizon Home Appliances in July 2024. The company aims to manufacture large refrigerators locally with an annual production capacity of up to 400,000 units. Production will begin in March 2026, with a total investment of $30 million. Sharp owns 20% of the company, while Elaraby Group owns 80%.

The Minister affirmed the Ministry's commitment to attracting more Japanese investments and transferring advanced technology to the Egyptian market, as well as expanding partnerships in the pharmaceutical manufacturing, public health, and electronics sectors, thus enhancing Egypt's competitiveness regionally and internationally in these fields.

Al-Khatib emphasized that the Egyptian government continues to provide a supportive environment for investment by developing legislation, improving the business environment, and working to remove any obstacles that Japanese companies may face during the implementation and expansion phases within Egypt.