Muscat – The Food Development Company, a subsidiary of Salalah Mills, inaugurated a new bakery on Wednesday at Khazaen Economic City in Barka, marking a major addition to Oman’s food manufacturing sector.
The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Masoud bin Saeed bin Hashim al Hashimi, Governor of South Batinah, and attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and Salalah Mills.
The project aims to strengthen national food security, expand local production capacity and meet growing demand in domestic and regional markets in line with international quality standards.
Built at a cost of RO25mn, the factory is located within Khazaen Economic City and is among the sultanate’s most advanced industrial facilities specialising in integrated fresh and frozen bakery products. It is designed to supply hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, catering companies and airlines across Oman, the GCC and selected markets in Asia and Africa.
Developed on a 20,000sqm plot with a total built-up area of 24,000sqm, the facility houses ten production lines with a combined daily capacity of up to 80 tonnes. Storage capacity stands at 1,836 pallets, equivalent to nearly 2,000 tonnes.
The Food Development Company operates using modern industrial technologies and complies with international food safety and quality standards. The factory holds HACCP, FSSC 22000 and Halal certifications, with products carrying the ‘Made in Oman’ label.
Drawing on the expertise of Salalah Mills, the company aims to combine traditional baking methods with industrial-scale efficiency, positioning itself as a key player in the frozen bakery segment in Oman and the wider GCC.
The project also supports sustainability goals through recyclable packaging, improved energy efficiency and flexible supply models, including private-label production and commercial partnerships.
Opening of the bakery underscores the role of Khazaen Economic City in supporting food security and industrial growth, in line with Oman Vision 2040 objectives to diversify the economy, strengthen supply chains and increase the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP.
