Tuesday 10 / February / 2026
Muscat: Oman Food Capital, a subsidiary of Oman Investment Authority (OIA), has signed a strategic partnership with Brazil’s JBS, one of the world’s largest food companies.
The partnership will see JBS operate new facilities in the Sultanate of Oman for the local production of red meat and poultry and establish a regional export hub for global markets, with a total investment of OMR57.7 million (USD 150 million).
This partnership translates the strategy of Oman Investment Authority, which aims to build an integrated national food ecosystem and maximise the benefits of agricultural and food value chains. It also reflects OIA’s direction to attract global partners and transfer advanced knowledge and technologies to the Omani market, thereby enhancing manufacturing industries and increasing the added value of national products.
Under this strategic partnership, JBS will build its largest investment in the Middle East in the meat and poultry sector. This includes completing the construction of the integrated poultry facility of A’Namaa Poultry in the Wilayat of Ibri, in addition to the slaughter and processing facility for beef and mutton belonging to Al Bashayer Meat in the Wilayat of Thumrait.
The total fixed industrial production capacity upon completion is expected to reach approximately 300,000 tonnes annually, comprising 77,000 tonnes of beef, 20,000 tonnes of mutton, and 208,000 tonnes of poultry. This will contribute to enhancing food security in the Sultanate of Oman and solidify Oman’s position as a platform for producing ready-to-export halal food to regional and global markets.
The partnership is also expected to generate over 3,000 direct jobs in Oman over the next five years across various stages of the production chain, enhancing local economic development, raising workforce efficiency, and supporting the growth of the food and agricultural industries sector in the Sultanate of Oman.
Abdulsalam Mohammed Al Murshidi, Chairman of Oman Investment Authority (OIA) stated that this strategic partnership with a global leader in protein production will transition Oman from a protein-importing country to a protein-exporting one within the next three years.
In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), he added that the project will commence actual red meat production this year, followed by white meat production by the end of the same year. He expects the project to provide around 3,000 job opportunities in both upstream and downstream food industries.
He explained that Oman aims to become a regional hub for “halal” meat, benefiting from the global distribution network of its partner company, which operates in 26 countries and markets its products in 180 countries worldwide. He indicated that the target production capacity exceeds local market needs, opening broad prospects for exporting Omani protein products (white and red meat) to international markets.
For his part, Muneer Ali Al Muneeri, Deputy Chairman of Oman Investment Authority for Operations and Board Chairman of Oman Food Capital, stated that the partnership is a result of the principles established by the Authority to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of its investment assets within the national development portfolio. This, he said, enables attracting strategic partnerships that add value to the economy, generate new job opportunities, enhance supply chains, contribute to the global spread of products, and embody the priorities of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan within Oman Vision 2040.
Gilberto Tomazoni, Global CEO of JBS Brazil, clarified that having the initial stages of supply chains in the region has become a strategic necessity for the next phase, given the region’s large and growing market. He affirmed that this solid base in Oman will enable the company to access nearby regional markets and enhance its presence in the area.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Mohammed Al Rashdi, CEO of Oman Food Capital, emphasized that the partnership is a pivotal step in the company’s journey towards building an integrated and sustainable food sector based on innovation, international partnerships, and achieving economic and social impact. It also marks a new phase in the journey of Oman’s food sector, establishing an effective model for strategic partnerships capable of transforming investment opportunities into integrated production platforms with tangible economic and social impact, he added.
This strategic partnership marks JBS’s first entry into the initial stages of supply chains in the Middle East region. JBS is a leading global food company with a diversified portfolio of high-quality products including poultry, beef, lamb, fish, and plant-based proteins. It employs over 282,000 people, operates in more than 20 countries worldwide, and its portfolio includes global brands known for quality and innovation, with products reaching consumers in about 180 countries. The company also invests in related activities including leather, biodiesel, collagen, fertilizers, solid waste management, recycling, and transportation, with a strong focus on circular economy principles.
It is noteworthy that Oman Food Capital is the specialized investment arm in the food sector of Oman Investment Authority. It focuses on building and managing a diversified portfolio of high-impact investments that enhance the national food security system and achieve sustainable value aligned with Oman Vision 2040. It owns more than 15 companies, making it a pivotal platform for developing major food projects that enhance food security and economic resilience.
