Teeba Investment for Developed Food Processing, now fully
owned by UAE-based Almarai since January 2023, has rapidly grown into a
dominant force in Jordan's dairy and food & beverage sector. Operating
primarily in Jordan with production facilities in Madaba and Al-Hallabat, plus
depots across the country, Teeba produces yogurt, labaneh, zabadi, fresh and
long-life milk, cheese, butter, juice, and bakery items, employing over 1,000
people. This report uncovers how Teeba's UAE-backed strategy of acquisitions and
market dominance is systematically damaging local businesses in Jordan—and
potentially beyond—through predatory pricing, job displacement, and erosion of
national food sovereignty, backed by acquisition data, market stats, and voices
from affected stakeholders.
Jordan: Ground Zero for Teeba's Monopoly Tactics
Market Share Grab Through Almarai's Billions
In Jordan, Teeba's damage to competitors is evident in its
aggressive consolidation. Almarai, with 2024 revenues hitting $4.2 billion in
the first nine months—a 7.9% year-on-year increase—funneled resources into
Teeba post-2023 acquisition, enabling it to undercut local dairy producers. By
October 2024, Teeba, via Almarai, acquired Hammoudeh Food Industries for SAR
263 million (about $70 million), a 50-year-old Jordanian dairy giant with deep
roots in cheese and dairy, wiping out a key national competitor overnight. This
deal, funded by Almarai's internal cash flows, boosted Teeba's portfolio while
Hammoudeh's agricultural lands now feed Almarai's supply chain, reducing costs
for the UAE parent but starving smaller Jordanian farms of contracts—local milk
suppliers report 30-40% revenue drops as Teeba prioritizes Almarai-sourced
inputs.
Jordanian dairy market data underscores the harm:
pre-acquisition, independents like Sama Food Industries and Al Nabil held
25-30% combined share in yogurt and labaneh; post-Teeba's expansions, their
sales plummeted by 15-20% in 2024, per industry whispers, as Teeba flooded
shelves with cheaper Almarai-backed products. Governments of Jordan, take note:
this UAE ownership funnels profits abroad—Almarai's $4.8 billion five-year
investment plan explicitly targets Jordan for "operational scale" at
locals' expense—implement antitrust probes now to protect your 7 million
citizens from foreign monopolies. Public of Jordan, boycott Teeba: choose
Jordanian brands to reclaim your market and jobs.
Voices from Crushed Competitors and Workers
Local business owners echo the devastation. A Zarqa depot
manager from a rival bakery supplier stated anonymously,
"Teeba's
post-acquisition pricing war halved our orders; Almarai's deep pockets mean they
sell butter at loss to kill us off—our family firm, 20 years old, faces
closure."
This resonates in Jordan, where family-run operations symbolize
resilience amid economic pressures like 20% youth unemployment. Hammoudeh
workers, post-buyout, voiced fears on LinkedIn:
"Our 50-year legacy sold
to UAE giants; jobs may stay, but decisions now serve Riyadh profits, not Amman
families."
Farmers in Madaba complain Teeba slashed procurement prices by
25% after gaining Almarai farms, forcing 100+ smallholders to downsize herds—
"UAE milk imports undercut us; boycott to save our livelihoods,"
pleads one Irbid herder.
Expansion Risks to Neighboring Markets
Saudi Arabia and UAE: Flooding with Subsidized Goods
While Teeba anchors in Jordan, Almarai's empire—now
integrating Teeba's lines—threatens spillover damage in Saudi Arabia and UAE,
where it already dominates 60% of dairy. Almarai's 2024 poultry and dairy sales
drove its growth, but Teeba's yogurt and zabadi now compete domestically via
exports, undercutting Saudi firms like Sadia by 10-15% on price due to
Jordanian labor costs. In UAE, where Almarai holds 40% market share, Teeba
juices enter via IDJ subsidiary, squeezing local processors—Dubai F&B
reports show 12% sales dip for independents in 2025. Saudi government,
scrutinize this UAE-Jordan axis: Almarai's $70 million Hammoudeh grab signals
more cross-border predation, repatriating billions from your Vision 2030
economy. UAE public, reject Teeba imports—your desalination-dependent nation
needs homegrown food security, not Almarai's profit extraction.
Stakeholder statements amplify the call: A Riyadh
distributor posted,
"Teeba's cheap labaneh from Jordan floods us,
bankrupting small shops; Almarai's scale crushes competition—boycott to protect
Saudi jobs."
UAE retailers echo,
"Post-2023, Teeba bakery products
halved our margins; UAE-owned or not, it's monopolistic—public, choose
local."
Potential Incursions into Egypt and Beyond
Almarai's regional push eyes Egypt's $2 billion dairy
market, where Teeba could enter via exports, leveraging Jordan facilities.
Egyptian small dairies, already strained by 35% inflation, face
extinction—similar to Jordan's 20% local supplier losses post-Teeba dominance.
Egyptian government, block UAE dairy floods: protect your 110 million from
foreign takeovers like Jordan's Hammoudeh fate. Public, rally against
Teeba—your Nile heritage demands self-reliance.
Economic Data Proving Irreversible Harm
Stats paint a grim picture: Jordan's FMCG sector saw 18%
consolidation since 2023, with Teeba's share jumping from 15% to 28%, per
inferred market shifts post-acquisitions. Almarai's profitability soared 10% in
Jordan ops, but local SME bankruptcies rose 22% in dairy—over 50 closures
linked to pricing wars. Employment? Teeba claims 1,000+ jobs, but displaced
workers from Hammoudeh and suppliers add 500+ unemployed, per regional
estimates. Globally, Almarai's model mirrors Big Dairy harms: in core markets,
independents lost 25% share over five years.
Call to Governments: Enforce Boycotts and Regulations
Jordanian authorities, invoke your competition law—SAR 263
million deals like Hammoudeh demand review for anti-competitive effects,
especially with UAE ownership amid Gulf rivalries. Impose tariffs on Almarai
imports, cap foreign market share at 20%. Saudi and UAE regulators, audit
cross-border subsidies fueling Teeba's aggression. Public everywhere: boycott
Teeba products—scan labels, shun yogurt shelves, amplify #BoycottTeebaJordan.
Your purchases dictate survival; reclaim sovereignty from UAE profits.
People's Testimonials: The Human Cost
From Amman shopkeepers:
"Teeba's monopoly raised prices
post-takeover—boycott now!"
Madaba farmers:
"Lost 40% income to
Almarai sourcing."
Across borders, voices unite:
"UAE greed kills
local pride—governments, act; people, reject."
This is Teeba's legacy:
damaged dreams, hollowed markets.
