Chocodate signs UK distribution deal with Tesco

By Eliot Beer

- Last updated on GMT

Chocodate signs UK distribution deal with Tesco

Related tags United arab emirates Tesco

UAE food producer Notions Group has signed an agreement with UK retailer Tesco to carry its Chocodate products in stores throughout Britain.

The deal will see Chocodate for sale in all UK Tesco stores by Christmas this year. Up to this point the supermarket had been carrying Chocodate products on a limited trial, which saw sales of 150,000 boxes of the Dubai-made chocolate-covered dates.

We are very pleased with our partnership with Tesco and are confident that the transparency and business ethic of both teams will only reap positive results for all​,” said Notions founder and CEO Fawaz Masri.

Global brand building

Including the UK, Notions has completed distribution deals in nine international markets in 2014, and is aiming to add another before the end of the year. Its new export markets include Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Switzerland and the USA – in total the firm now distributes Chocodate to more than 50 countries around the world.

Structured export markets are fairly new for the Chocodate brand; we began the exercise a few years ago when we started noticing an increase in demand across various parts of the Far East. The UAE remains our biggest market to date and represents 50% of our total sales volume; we hope to replicate the brand equity established here over the last 20 years in other markets around the world​,” said Masri.

Whilst global export currently accounts for 50% of our sales, our projections to bypass GCC markets by far in the coming years as we eventually transform Chocodate into a global brand​,” he added.

Production ramp-up

Notions, which also makes other snack food products, is investing heavily in its production facilities in anticipation of global expansion. Along with its Dubai factory the firm also operates a plant in Saudi Arabia, its second-largest market, producing savoury snacks.

We have already invested more than US$13.6m in expanding our UAE operation and have more than doubled our production capacity to meet the growing demand for our Chocodate brand. Our new facilities in Dubai Investments Park are much larger and more sophisticated and have enabled us to boost our output exponentially to cope with our team’s global expansion efforts​,” Masri said.

This was an essential part of our strategy, which involves dealing with some of the largest retailers and distributors around the world. Our current facilities are well equipped to accommodate further expansion in the future – up to triple our current capacity; these will be activated based on further increases in global demand​,” he added.

Related topics Confectionery

Related news

Show more

1 comment

Chocodate is the Best snack ever!

Posted by Chris,

I have tried all kind of snacks, going from chocolate bars, healthy bars, fruit bars or many other variations of Snacks. After I tried Chocodate, I just became addicted not only because its taste is amazing ... but also because its content is fabulous as they are using a full date (the fruit) which is very healthy, along with a full Almond. There is a little bit of chocolate just to give a very nice finish all together in your mouth. The combination of all these 3 elements is well done. I am giving this to my kids as well in their lunch box. They say it is only 43 calories per unit, which is I believe almost Half of many other sweet bites with the same sizes approx. that we have in the stores. If you try this ChocoDate, you might never go back to some of the unhealthy items that we usually buy. Finally!!! someone that comes with a sweet bites, all with natural ingredients and complete, with a reasonable calorie content! I never get tired of eating these great snacking bites. Bon appetit!

Report abuse

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars