Latest news with #Omda
Zawya
29-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bel Egypt joins Danone Egypt's 'Omda' initiative to extend its rural footprint and drive meaningful community impact
Cairo, Egypt — As part of its continued growth and expansion strategy, Bel Egypt, a global leader in dairy products, has entered into a strategic co-distribution partnership with Danone Egypt through their established CSR initiative 'Omda'. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Bel's mission to deliver accessible, affordable nutrition to underserved rural areas while advancing sustainable development goals. The partnership was signed in the presence of H.E. Éric Chevallier, the French Ambassador to Egypt; Hany Arram, Regional Manager of Bel Egypt and North East Africa; and Hesham Radwan, the General Manager of Danone Egypt. Originally launched by Danone Egypt as a flagship social impact program, 'Omda' enables micro-distributors, funded through Danone's banking partner, to own and operate distribution vans serving hard-to-reach areas. Today, the 'Omda' fleet comprises 370 vans, collectively reaching over 15 million customers across Egypt's rural and semi-urban regions. This new partnership builds on the 'Omda' initiative to significantly expand access to affordable La Vache Qui Rit, Kiri, and Abu El Walad products across underserved governorates in Delta, Beheira, and Upper Egypt—aiming to reach thousands of additional households. This initiative aligns with Bel's 'For All, For Good' strategy, promoting community well-being and inclusive nutrition. The partnership with Danone Egypt expands rural market reach while maintaining zero additional environmental impact. By streamlining distribution networks and leveraging the efforts of sales and logistics teams, the collaboration has contributed to a 50% reduction in the combined carbon footprint, highlighting that sustainability can be driven not only by production facilities but also by efficient commercial operations and smarter go-to-market strategies. On this occasion, His Excellency Eric Chevallier praised the initiative. Two French companies forming alliances to build strong partnerships by drawing on what makes French economic presence in Egypt so impactful : value added, job creation, training and focus on talents, contribution to the economic growth and, in this case also improving access to quality nutrition in rural areas, and reducing the carbon footprint of their operations. Echoing this sentiment, Hesham Radwan, General Manager of Danone Egypt stated, "We are proud of this strategic partnership with Bel Egypt, which brings together two French companies with global legacies and long-standing roots in Egypt. This collaboration perfectly aligns with our mission to empower local communities and expand access to healthy, nutritious food across the country. Together, we are not only enhancing the efficiency of our distribution networks but also reinforcing our commitment to health, environmental responsibility, local empowerment, and shared, inclusive growth. He added, 'By combining our infrastructure, reach, and expertise, we are enabling more people in more communities to access the nutritious products of both Danone and Bel. This partnership is a powerful step forward on our journey to fulfill Danone's core purpose—bringing health through food to as many people as possible.' Hany Arram, Regional Manager of Bel Egypt and North East Africa, commented: 'This partnership with Danone is a key milestone in Bel Egypt's mission to serve more Egyptian families, responsibly, sustainably, and at scale. We are proud to collaborate with a like-minded partner that shares our commitment to social impact and inclusive growth. By tapping into the proven success of the Omda initiative, we're not just expanding our physical presence; we're actively improving access to quality nutrition, supporting local entrepreneurship, and driving meaningful reductions in our environmental impact.' About Bel Company The Bel Group is a major player in the healthy dairy, fruit and plant-based snacks segment. Its portfolio of differentiated and internationally recognized brands includes The Laughing Cow®, Kiri®, Babybel®, Boursin®, Nurishh®, Pom'Potes®, and GoGo squeeZ®, as well as some 25 local brands. Together, these brands helped the Group generate sales of €3.7 billion in 2024. Bel has been operating in the Egyptian market for over 25 years, employing 1,500 staff. The company's products have become an integral part of the daily lives of Egyptian families through its iconic brands "La Vache Qui Rit" and "Kiri." Bel Egypt serves as a strategic manufacturing hub, exporting products to nearly 19 countries, leveraging cutting-edge technologies. In line with its vision of "providing healthy and balanced food for everyone," Bel contributes to promoting healthier eating habits while increasing the accessibility of its products. The company is committed to implementing various initiatives that foster sustainable agriculture, combat climate change, and design environmentally friendly packaging. About Danone Egypt Danone Egypt is a subsidiary of Danone, with its headquarters operating in Cairo since 2006, with a leading position in the essential dairy category (Danone Yogurt, Danette, Activia, Danone Max, Danone Greek, HiPro, Dango and El Baraka) and plant-based products (Alpro). Danone Egypt's 1,500 employees are driven by the ambition to nourish a healthier and happier Egypt. Danone is proud to make a positive contribution to Egypt with great-tasting, healthier, and top-quality products for children and families, which support healthy lifestyles for all Egyptians. Danone Egypt has a plant in Obour and a world-class dairy farm in Nubariya, the third largest in Egypt. Danone Egypt is the first company in Egypt to achieve the B Corp TM Certification. It recognizes the company's ambition to act beyond financial profit and put purpose at the heart of its business strategy in addition to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance.
CairoScene
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Egyptian Label Amina K Drops Upper Egypt Inspired K-apsule Collection
Clear the runway, there's a new 'Omda' in town. With notions of identity and belonging at the heart of the collection, 'Saeedi Spring' is a sartorial love letter to the land and its people. 'For any Amina K collection, I always look to the streets of Egypt for inspiration.' - Amina Khalil, Founder and Creative Director, Amina K. Drawing straight from the heart of the nation and paying homage to traditional Upper Egyptian wear, Egyptian slow-fashion label Amina K is putting its own sustainable twist on the time-honoured garbs of the 'Saeed'. Infused with contemporary cuts and floral motifs, Amina K's latest 'K-apsule' collection, 'Saeedi Spring', dissects the Egyptian 'galabeya' and scarves through a modern lens while staying true to the cultural essence embedded within their proverbial fabrics. Offering a selection of kaftans, pants, skirts, jackets, and vests, the label's latest collection is all about light, easy, and breezy attire that contentedly echoes cultural pride. While the collection includes a variety of different silhouettes and motifs, there remains one commonality between every piece; a strong sense of nostalgia. Breaking down the traditional 'omda' - a descriptor coined by the label - scarf often seen donned by men throughout Upper Egypt, Amina K literally reconstructs the regionally popular scarves into colour-blocked pieces that showcases the design intricacy often dismissed by the passing eye as one whole, completing the looks with fringes at the hem, not unlike those seen on the actual scarves that were Khalil's muse and textile of choice. 'This scarf - which at some point was exclusive to the mayors of Upper Egypt, the 'omda', trickled down over the years and now is a commonly-worn accessory that you often see in the street,' Amina Khalil shares with SceneStyled. 'Usually 'galabeyas' are made of a stiff wool, they're heavy duty, and I wanted to offer a lighter counterpart to that, something that could be worn on a day-to-day basis,' Khalil adds. Hand-embroidered floral details and traditional Egyptian line art decorate the collection, effectively turning each individual design into its own statement piece. Complementing the intricately fashioned jackets, kaftan sets, and skirts, the latest drop presents a series of minimal flowy 'galabeyas' in subdued neutrals and light pastels. A highlight of the collection would have to be the label's 'Full Circle Denim' jacket, which features an exterior of distressed denim patches, with a colourful South Asian-inspired print in its interior lining. Staying true to the label's commitment to sustainable fashion that stands the test of time, the latest collection builds upon Amina K's ethos, partially utilising fabrics and prints from earlier collections, and ensuring not a single thread goes to waste. 'The way we do things at Amina K is ongoing. It's a build-up, a journey, we don't just flip the page and forget everything we'd done before.'
