Nissar Thalangara, Head of Sales for Global Food Industries (GFI) and International Beverage and Filling Industries (IBFI), reveals that today’s highly dynamic market requires an equally dynamic product portfolio that is responsive to the rapidly evolving preferences in both the consumer and HORECA market segments.
Prior to joining GFI and IBFI, Nissar has already been seasoned sales strategist and tactician for well-known F&B brands such as McCain, Emborg, Minerva Meat, JBS, Seara, Sadia, Al Islami, Mars Chocolate, Pampers, Ariel, Tide, Pantene, and many other well-known FMCG brands. He is also a member of the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), which enabled him to actively participate in the American Frozen Foods conference held in San Diego, USA and expressed his views on topics such as ‘The Power of Frozen’; ‘The Lens of Leadership’, ‘Forecasting Agricultural Economics’, and ‘2019 Global Supply Chain Challenges & Opportunities’. He was also a key participant in a conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil on the ‘Role of poultry meat and protein in a balanced diet’.
With his key professional strengths that include in-depth product and market knowledge of frozen food products and beverages, as well as an extensive network across the UAE, Nissar reveals that his focus will be on the fundamentals of the products like availability and visibility, as well as boosting execution and activations.
“GFI and IBFI’s strength is the fact that both companies belong to a great company such as the Albatha Group, which can be greatly leveraged in the market,” Nissar said. “Second is that our products are the best products available in the market and have already been well accepted by our consumers, which significantly are produced locally in the UAE.
“The challenge though is that today’s market is very dynamic,” Nissar added. “This will entail having to adapt to changes through an immediate, well defined and well executed action plan. And within this plan will be the fundamentals of the five P’s – product, placement, price, people, and promotions, all of which are my areas of expertise. We will be highly responsive to market trends and what consumers will be looking for. Through our best-in-class kitchen and manufacturing facility, I am confident that we will be able to adapt and provide for the needs of all market segments.”
“The opportunities for growth are huge, whether in retail or HORECA,” Nissar revealed. “So, I am focusing on both areas with different portfolio on these two market segments. One area which we will boost our presence is in the supermarket segment on both the frozen food and beverage categories. For HORECA, we will be specifically targeting institutions and hotels.
“And, with our slogan of ‘Stronger Together’, everyone within the GFI and IBFI family will be working together towards a common goal and direction. Within this there is a huge people development focus that is happening, with great support from the Albatha Group. I am therefore confident that by setting the right, achievable and measurable growth targets, GFI and IBFI will experience tremendous growth and expansion that it so aspires,” Nissar concluded.