Abu Dhabi-based Agthia Group recently revealed plans to expand its bottled water business in Egypt in an attempt to increase overseas sales.

The firm expects a 22% profit rise for 2014 and around 9-10% revenue rise for the whole year, Agthia’s CEO Iqbal Hamzah was quoted as saying on the sidelines of SIAL Middle East food exhibition that was recently held in Abu Dhabi.

The food products company seeks to begin exporting bottled water under its Al Ain brand in the second half of 2015 added to establishing another bottling plant afterwards. Furthermore, Agthia aims to raise bottling plants’ capacity in Turkey by around 3.5 million cartons a year by April.

Agthia is also interested in acquiring a “mid-sized” water or dairy business in the region, The National reported, citing the Company’s CEO, adding that he did not comment or elaborate further.

The Abu Dhabi-listed Company expects to enter the Saudi Arabian market with a variety of food products such as: yogurt, flour, the Turkish bottled water brand Alpin and tomato paste.

Agthia also plans to enter the Egyptian market as it represents a strong growth driver, along with Saudi Arabia.
“It has a huge population of 90 million, the country is stabilising and we are looking at expanding our distribution in the retail segment,” Mr Hamzah said.