CREAM OF THE CROP
Dandy has invested in itself and Qatar to bring its customers affordable, local products while introducing new lines of business, even in the darkest hours of the blockage.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Mansour Bin Mahammad Bin Jabor Al Thani, the chairman of Dandy Company Limited, is a prominent business leader in Qatar, also serving in key leadership positions in multiple leading organizations. With an education background in business administration from the US and his business acumen, he has played a vital role in the growth and success of Dandy. His vision and guidance have helped Dandy become a leading brand in Qatar.
Dandy is one of the main dairy product producers in Qatar. What have been the main areas of focus, milestones, and products established by your company, and what is the current status of the retail sector in Qatar?
Since 1973, our focus has always been our commitment to serving the nation with quality products. At Dandy, we have been working hard to gain the trust of every household in this region to supply high-quality and great value products conveniently available at an affordable price point. As a brand, we aspire to be an effective catalyst in helping people come together over the sharing of food. Our latest investments in state-of-the-art production and distribution facilities, as well as a large fleet of delivery trucks, has helped us to further diversify our product range across the dairy, ice cream, and beverages category while gaining large market shares in each category. Meanwhile, Qatar's retail sector is growing in terms of space but many consumers are in the low-income expatriate workforce and are price sensitive. It has been a great challenge for us to keep up with the price war by competition, while continuously improving the quality of our products.
Since the blockade, Dandy has released new products such as Fresh Laban, launched a complete range of juices, and strengthened their ice cream portfolio. How did the blockade shape the strategy of your company?
The blockade provided us with an opportunity to support the nation when it needed it the most. We took it as a national responsibility to ensure that Qataris did not panic or despair because of lack of basic grocery supplies in the early days after blockade. Immediately, the cost of importing the raw material and packaging material escalated, but we kept our prices the same and ensured our high-quality products were affordable for everyone. Our teams worked hard around the clock to meet the demand. Tasks, like setting up new machinery lines, were completed in a record number of days rather than months. We had been working towards revamping our brand with new packaging and launches since the start of 2017, but, due to the blockade, everything became fast-tracked, and we launched every possible product needed in the market in a short time. At the same time, we also introduced an innovative new product called Bon Bon, which immediately became a market sensation that provided the people of Qatar with joy and pride. In short, the blockade taught us the importance of leadership, self-sustainability, and planning ahead.
Dandy has been exhibiting at the local Made in Qatar exhibition. How do you evaluate the potential of the initiative, its brands, and consequent products?
The Made in Qatar exhibition has provided local businesses with a platform to showcase the capabilities Qatar has and shown the world that Qatar can become a major international exporter of products and services. It has enabled many businesses to start exporting, as well as importing, better-quality raw material and packaging material at better prices.
What are some of the challenges for the company's international strategy?
Logistical costs to faraway countries have increased due to our land borders still being closed. Most of our products are of perishable nature, and, therefore, exporting dairy and juice products are a big challenge for us. Still, ice cream is our main focus in terms of expanding our international footprint.
What are your plans and expectations for 2020?
We plan to further expand our product range and maintain our high quality, in order to gain more market share and become the single most-recognized household name in Qatar. This is possible only by satisfying the quality and affordability expectations of our consumers, the Qatari citizens who have been a pillar of our success and the expat residents who have made Dandy a part of their daily lives.
CREAM OF THE CROP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority
Given its successful performance in the last few years, QFC is optimistic it will be able to capitalize on Qatar's ongoing efforts to create a world-class business environment and attract more global companies.
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Lolwah R M Al-Khater, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is focused on pushing forward Qatar's foreign policy, sharing information and perspectives that could be useful for regional security and advancing the Qatari narratives on many issues facing the world today.
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Richard O’Kennedy, Vice President, Research, Development, and Innovation, Qatar Foundation
The first country in the world to track its citizens' genomes, Qatar is on track to make one of modern science's biggest breakthroughs by personalizing medical treatment and precision care.
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Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister, Transport and Communications (MoTC)
With plans for a fully electric bus system and an impressive set of interconnected transportation options including metro, rail, and tram, the Ministry of Transport and Communication is shifting mobility into the next gear in Qatar.
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Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saoud Al Thani, Governor, Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Encouraging local manufacturing, initiating self-sufficiency in dairy and farm products, expanding into new air and sea routes, offering select visa-free entry, and enacting fiscal reforms are but several of the successful reforms undertaken since 2017.
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Sean Kelly, Project Director, Place Vendôme
Place Vendôme is no ordinary mall: with 650 hotel rooms, a 6,000-sqm cinema with 18 screens, six slides, three toboggan runs, and an ice river opening in September 2020, it is looking to slide into Qatar's tourism infrastructure in time for the World Cup.
read articleInterview
Mehmed Zingal, General Manager, Turkish Airlines - Qatar
With its 30th year celebration of its Miles&Smiles club launch in Qatar, Turkish Airlines is acknowledging its continued diligence to provide the best customer service, with targets to increase customer happiness through innovative technologies and increasing tourism to Qatar for the future.
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Hassan Rashid Al-Derham, President, Qatar University (QU)
Ranked in the top-500 universities by the Times Higher Education, Qatar University improves students' academic success by supporting students throughout their academic lifecycle, from the pre-university stage to beyond graduation.
read articleFocus
A lesson learned
The international attention set to fall on Qatar over the coming years is significant only to the extent that it generates advances in human capital required by Qatar's blueprint, National Vision 2020, where local know-how and innovation advance the nation and promote wellbeing.
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Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health & Managing Director,, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)
The health minister is committed to continuing the growth of Qatar's healthcare system, with plans for more than 20 new facilities specializing in pediatrics, geriatrics, and mental health.
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