Lesaffre Gulf meets Saudi deputy minister

Saudi Arabia’s industry ministry said on May 20 that Vice Minister for Industrial Affairs Khalil bin Salamah met Lesaffre Gulf and East Africa Managing Director Eduard Toth in Riyadh to discuss localizing yeast production and expanding cooperation in food manufacturing. The Saudi Press Agency said the talks covered investment opportunities in yeast manufacturing and fermentation solutions for food applications. The state news agency also said the discussions touched on knowledge transfer, advanced technology and building national capabilities in the sector. SPA said the meeting linked Lesaffre, the French yeast and fermentation group, to Saudi efforts to increase local content in bakery and food-production inputs and support food security goals. The agency said Saudi officials presented the industrial ecosystem’s investment offering, including products and services from the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, known as MODON, such as industrial land and ready-made factories. (spa.gov.sa) ### Who were the two main officials in the room? Khalil bin Salamah was identified by SPA as Saudi Arabia’s vice minister of industry and mineral resources for industrial affairs. Eduard Toth was identified by SPA as managing director of Lesaffre Gulf and East Africa. The meeting took place in Riyadh on May 20, according to the agency. Lesaffre’s regional business has been active in Saudi Arabia before the meeting. (spa.gov.sa) Lesaffre Gulf said on its regional site that it participated in the Saudi Food Show 2025 in Riyadh from May 12 to May 14, presenting baking solutions and live demonstrations. ### What exactly did Saudi Arabia and Lesaffre discuss? SPA said the two sides discussed “mutual investment opportunities” in yeast manufacturing and fermentation solutions for food applications. (spa.gov.sa) The agency said those talks were aimed at enhancing the Saudi food sector and increasing local content in bakery and food-production inputs. The same SPA report said the meeting also covered transfer of knowledge and advanced technology, as well as efforts to build national capabilities. (lesaffre-meea.com) That language tracks with Saudi Arabia’s broader industrial policy of attracting foreign manufacturers and localizing production in priority sectors. ### Did the meeting produce anything concrete? The National Industrial Development Center signed a memorandum of understanding with Lesaffre, SPA said, to cooperate on localizing yeast production and exchanging expertise and information in the food manufacturing sector. (spa.gov.sa) SPA said the agreement was framed as part of the National Industrial Strategy. The Industrial Center describes itself as Saudi Arabia’s specialized industrial investment-attraction and industrial-development organization. (spa.gov.sa) Its public description says it works to create new industries and support Vision 2030 ambitions. ### How does this fit earlier Saudi-French outreach? On May 5, 2025, Saudi Industry Minister Bandar Alkhorayef began an official visit to France that included planned meetings with executives from French companies including Lesaffre, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, citing SPA. (spa.gov.sa) The report said the visit focused on attracting investment and building partnerships in sectors Saudi Arabia was prioritizing for localization, including food industries. (ic.gov.sa) That earlier visit also outlined Saudi interest in memoranda of understanding with French companies to encourage joint investments and knowledge transfer in industrial sectors, according to the same report. The May 20 Riyadh meeting and the MoU with Lesaffre fit that sequence of official contacts. ### What comes next for the Lesaffre-Saudi process? (english.aawsat.com) SPA said the immediate next formal step is the memorandum of understanding between the National Industrial Development Center and Lesaffre on yeast localization and expertise exchange. Any follow-through would run through Saudi industrial-investment channels that officials said include MODON’s land and factory offerings and the National Industrial Strategy framework named in the SPA report. (spa.gov.sa) (english.aawsat.com)