The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in cooperation with shopping malls and large retail outlets, has unveiled the “National Product” initiative.

Under this initiative, malls and large retail outlets will clearly display local products and goods bearing the slogan “National Product” to facilitate consumers’ access to these products, said a statement.

“National Product” initiative has been launched under the theme “Together to Support National Products” and aims to support and market national products in the local market as well as to support and ease investors’ access to consumers in addition to opening markets to merchants and investors seeking to launch new products.

List of Made in Qatar products by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC)

Marhaba team have done the research and listed down the popular ‘Made in Qatar’ brands. Read on… 

Marhaba Information Guide

Since 1994, Marhaba is Qatar’s Information Guide, the most informative, most authoritative and most popular. What sets Marhaba apart is its track record of constantly updated, reliable information on all aspects of life in Qatar, being especially useful – indispensable, some say – for newly arrived residents.

The Marhaba family, created and printed wholly in Qatar, has blossomed over the years, with the iconic Information Guide now joined with a range of Pocket Maps; Marhaba Dining Guide; Marhaba Shopping Guide; and ‘coffee table’ books Qatar Kaleidoscope and Qatar Image.

From being Qatar’s most successful printed information guide, Marhaba is also available online and on social media, where the increasingly popular Marhaba website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels all wish to make you welcome.

Read about how Qatar and Marhaba changed since 1994

Water

Rayyan Pure Natural Mineral Watermineral-water

This premium quality product is not desalinated seawater and is drawn directly from a natural aquifer. Rayyan natural water is bottled at source in an unspoiled stretch of desert 60 km north of Doha. The bottling plant was built at source to capture the natural goodness of the underground water. This rural area is renowned for its natural beauty and healthy climate, far away from the pollution of the city. In 1984, Rayyan Pure Natural Mineral Water was launched by Khalid bin Mohammed Al Rabban. He ensured that the production process was world-class and Evian of France were involved in the technical establishment of Rayyan’s first bottling line.

For more information, visit rayyanwater.com.

Safa International Co
Safa International Co manufactures five gallon pure drinking water bottles for homes and offices. Their distribution network spans the length and breadth of Qatar. The five gallon polycarbonate bottled water is transported in pick-up vans. The storage area of the van is protected by rolling shutters to safeguard the bottles stored inside from direct sunlight and other unforeseen contingencies. In addition, they have a separate division for quick door delivery.

For more information, visit safawaterqa.com.

Dairy products

DandyDandy Made in Qatar
Dandy Company Limited provides local fresh and quality dairy products that have undergone stringent quality control measures. In addition, the ISO 9001:2000 certified company provides locally-made ice cream and fresh juices. Dandy’s dairy products include laban and yogurt. Their ice cream products include Choco Nuts, Choco Bar; Cone Boxes; and Yupyrol, mult-flavoured ice cream popsicle. Dandy’s fruit and beverages products include Frutti; Hala Mango Juice; and fresh fruit juices in three sizes – 1.75 litre, 1 litre and 250 ml; and Long Life fruit juices in 250 and 255 ml in mix-fruit, mango, orange, apple, strawberry, banana and chocolate flavours.

For more information, visit dandy-qa.com.

Ghadeer
The Arab Qatari Company for Dairy Production (Alban Ghadeer) was established in Qatar in 1985 as a joint venture between the Arab Company for Livestock Development (ACOLID), the State of Qatar, and Gulf Investment Corporation. The objective was to ensure food security in milk and dairy products along with an agriculture farm to provide fresh fodder from their farm and for the sale of the surplus in the local market.

Ghadeer‘s dairy and juice products were launched in the local market in 1990. With a cow farm consisting of more than 1,200 cows and an agriculture farm of around 1,200 hectares, all of Ghadeer’s products are made of fresh cow milk. Their products include milk, laban, yogurt, labneh and sour cream, cheese, ghee, juice and ice cream.

For more information, visit albanghadeer.com.

Breads and bakery products

Qatar Flour Mills Made in QatarQatar Flour Mills (QFM)
Established in 1969, QFM is a public limited company with the biggest modern manufacturing facility and technology. Located on a site surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides, QFM has a wide array of premium food products, mostly of flour and wheat based products. Over the past 40 years, QFM has been successfully making naturally pure and consistently performing flour. QMF also exports to other GCC countries.

For more information, visit qfm.com.qa.

Qbake
Launched in 2009 by Umm Said Bakery, which provides local bakery products, Qbake has become a well recognised brand name in the market. As one moves around in Doha, there is a high probability that you will see their vans in your neighbourhood, delivering fresh products to the grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, and institutional buyers like catering companies, construction worker camps, schools, fast food outlets and food service outlets. Qbake is the largest producer of Arabic bread (Khubs) and Lebanese bread in the country. Qbake also provides sliced breads, buns and rolls, croissants, cakes and muffins, swiss rolls and more.

Qbake Made in Qatar

For more information, visit qbake.com.qa.

Asak Group – Al Raha Bakeries
A subsidiary of Asak Group, Al Raha Bakeries have branches all across Qatar, with a presence in most shopping malls. The bakery offers more than 70 products including sandwiches, croissants, buns, samouli, cakes and other bread products.

For more information, visit asak-group.com.

Chocolates, sweets and snacks

Kaafe Chocolatier
Kaafe Chocolatier was founded in 2011 in QatKaafe Chocolaiter Made in Qatarar, by Mariam Al Sulaiti with the aim of creating fine chocolates that combines Arabic taste. Kaafe Chocolatier produces and sells premium handmade Belgian chocolates and related products, while holding on to Qatari culture and heritage in the flavours of its chocolates. The company offers gourmet chocolates, truffles, chocolate dipped fruits, sweets, shakes, wedding and party favours and other items such as gift boxes, chocolate trays, and corporate gifts. Kaafe produces seasonal and limited-edition chocolates with special packaging for all major occasions and events. It sells its products online; takes called-in orders and through its boutiques. Kaafe has over 40 types of fine chocolate, sweets and truffles. February 2015 saw the official launch of Qatar’s first chocolate brand with membership in Qatar Chamber.

For more information, visit kaafe-chocolatier.com.

Asak Group – Al Qaseem Dates
A subsidiary of Asak Group, Al Qaseem Dates is one of the oldest dates’ stores in Qatar and famous for its quality products. The company has more than 200 products including: petit four mixed with dates, natural dates section, packaging and gifts section and special crafts – exclusive for their store.

For more information, visit asak-group.com.

Asak Group – Munah Food Stuff Factory
A subsidiary of Asak Group, Munah Food Stuff Factory provides local snack products including crisps, chocolates and candies. In addition, Munah provides aluminium foil products such as rolls and containers. Munah’s crisps, SAY, are produced in many flavours such as cheese, chilli and lemon, and ketchup. Their chocolate products include Silinco chocolate-coated cornflakes, and A&M chocolate peanuts.

For more information, visit asak-group.com.

Fruits, vegetables, fish and meat

Ocean Fish

The smoked salmon market in Qatar is experiencing a revolution – and it’s homegrown. Its starting point is located within the depths of the Industrial Area where you can find Qatar’s first fish processing and packaging facility, Ocean Fish.

Salmon is freshly caught from the deep waters of Norway and sent to Qatar via air cargo. It takes three to five days to salt, marinate, smoke, and package the fresh salmon. Each process has its own challenges, and even learning the correct way to fillet a fish can take more than six months.

Quality of fish is measured by a ‘freshness meter’ and a swab test is also carried out to check that the equipment is clean and that food hygiene standards are kept high.

Click here to read the full article

Qatari Natural Agriculture (Agrico)Qatar Agrico Made In Qatar
In the 1950s, in-depth studies were initiated with regards to the import of fruits and vegetables in Qatar, which revealed that there is massive dependency on regional and neighbouring countries. In the light of these facts, Agrico took the initiative of supporting the food security programme by the Qatari government aimed at transforming Qatar into a self-sufficient state and cultivating vegetables in two green houses with a combined area if 40,000 sq m. In addition, Agrico completed the construction of eight more greenhouses for the cultivation of fruits and herbs, and another 4000 sq m facility exclusively for the cultivation of mushrooms. Their pesticide-free hydroponic greenhouses are situated in Al Khor. In addition to fruits and vegetables, Qatari Natural Agriculture provides locally produced meat through another brand, Qatar Meat Production Co.

Asak Group – Azba Farm for Chicken and Quail Birds
A subsidiary of Asak Group, Azba Farm for Chicken and Quail Birds consists of local farms – quail, broiler and duck, producing fresh and frozen quail, duck and chicken, as well as quail and chicken eggs. Their chickens are domestic including Baladi, Hindi and Fayomi.

For more information, visit asak-group.com.

Décor and furniture

Art of PotteryQatari furniture Made In Qatar
Art of Pottery has been offering pottery since 2000 and its objective is to provide custom-made or readymade products such as murals, furniture, lighting, custom-made tiles, tablewares, vases, accessories and decorative plates. Their products include murals, majlis, pottery, tableware, vases, customised art works. They specialise in providing turnkey interior décor for palaces, hotels and companies by delivering the concept of supervising the work.

For more information, visit artofpottery.net.

Waterless Green
In 2009, Waterless Green was created out of a desire to bring the highest quality, most technologically advanced artificial grass products to the Qatari market. The company has experienced exponential growth in the residential and commercial landscaping sector during the past few years and has recently become a major player in the synthetic turf sports fields.

Waterless Green is the exclusive representative of all Mirage Turf Technology products that include waterless grass, Mirage putting greens, and Rejuv-A-Lawn. Mirage Turf Technology is a global company with over 460 dealers, and its turf is manufactured in the US and Asia.

The benefits of waterless green turf includes: virtually maintenance free; works in all climates; environmental friendly; no lead content so safe for kids; allergen free; looks and feels like real grass; remains green all year long; no watering or mowing; no fertilsing; no harmful chemicals; no irrigation; no brown patches or dead spots; and non flammable.

Providing a variety of landscape and football artificial grass, Waterless Greens client profile includes Aspire Fan Zone, Aspire Park, Souq Waqif Park, Khalifa Stadium, Al Sadd Sports Club and MES Indian School.

For more information, visit waterlessgreenme.com.

Qatar Industrial Foam & Furnishing
Founded in 1977 by Iskandar Al Ansari and began production in October 1982, Qatar Industrial Foam & Furnishing is specialised in manufacturing sponge and furnishings. It is the leading company in Qatar in manifacturing sponge mattresses and cushions. It also has a section for the maufacture of furniture and upholstery. Recently, for the first time in Qatar, the company produced a highly elastic sponge for upholstery and memory foam for medical mattresses. It also manufactures sponge of different measurements and densities (sheets and rolls), sponge for upholstery and industrial purposes, anti-fire sponge, economic, medium and high quality furnishings, spring medical mattresses, spring hotel mattresses, sofas, Arab majlises, divan beds, chairs for children with special needs, medical pillows and cushions.

Contrary to popular belief, Qatar is home to a wide variety of locally-made products and services. The companies highlighted in this article are only a few of over 250 companies, who are working on improving and developing Qatari products for the global market.

Copyright © Marhaba Information Guide. Reproduction of material from Marhaba Information Guide’s book or website without written permission is strictly prohibited. Using Marhaba Information Guide’s material without authorisation constitutes as plagiarism as well as copyright infringement.