BMMI

BMMI is a retail, distribution, and contract supply group headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, with overseas offices in Qatar, Djibouti, Mali, Ghana, Gabon, Sudan and Washington, D.C.

The Group manages the distribution, wholesale and retail of food and beverages, and represents a portfolio of international brands. It also provides contract-based supply services for overseas government, non-government and industrial sectors.

History

In 1883 Gray Paul, a British-owned merchant company operating in the Arabian Gulf, established a local branch in Bahrain. Following a merger in 1936, the company was renamed Gray Mackenzie, and in 1955 it became part of the [Group].

In 1980, the Group formed a joint venture with Bahraini shareholders to form Bahrain Maritime & Mercantile International (BMMI). The new company was later listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange. When Inchcape divested its shareholding in 1999, BMMI became a wholly Bahraini-owned public shareholding company. In 2003, the Group widened its shareholding base to investors across the GCC.

Core business areas

Retail and Distribution	Contract Services and Supply
Marketing	Distribution
Wholesale	Shipping
Distribution	Import-Export
Retail	Warehousing
Brand Portfolio Management	Remote Site & Facilities Management Services
	Provision of Camps & Temporary Structures
	Bespoke Rations Supply
	Technical Sourcing & Supply
	Contract Logistics Services

Retail and Distribution

FMCG Distribution

The Company is a distributor, wholesaler, and retailer of food and household goods in Bahrain and Qatar, where it operates as Nader Trading and Zad Marketing & Distribution, respectively.

It handles confectionery and ice cream; packaged and canned food; coffee and condiments; cereals, rice and pasta; dairy products; pet food; toiletries, fragrances, and cosmetics; tobacco; laundry and kitchen cleaning items; and household goods.

Some of the agencies and brands represented by BMMI include Hershey’s, MARS, [Kent Confectionery], Storck, [Himalaya], Kellogg’s, Colgate-Palmolive, Yardley, Jergens, Alberto VO5, Henkel, Japan Tobacco, and Red Bull.

Beverages

Bahrain, often considered the most liberal of the Arabian Gulf states, permits the sale of Haraam products (those prohibited by Islam) such as pork and alcohol within the country. The sale of such products is however restricted to specifically licensed outlets.

[BMMI Beverages] is a distributor, wholesaler and retailer for international agencies and brands of beers, spirits, wines, liqueurs and champagnes. It currently operates one retail outlet which caters to the licensed trade in Bahrain.

Some of the brands it represents include Heineken, Budweiser, Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff. In 2008, BMMI acquired ownership of MacAndrews Scotch whisky, making it the first brand owned by the Group.

In 2009, the beverages retail business faced a drawback when the Bahraini Government decided to ban the sale of alcohol in residential areas, which resulted in the closure of one of the largest BMMI retail outlets. This was furthered by a ruling in 2009 banning the sale of alcohol in 1 and 2 star hotels in a bid to curb public drunkenness. In 2010 yet another ruling was passed to allow licensed outlets to operate only one retail shop, which resulted in the closing of a second BMMI outlet. ref>Clamp on alcohol "Clamp on alcohol"</ref>

Supermarkets

In Bahrain, BMMI operates three [Alosra Supermarkets] in Saar, Amwaj Islands, and Durrat Al Bahrain and, has plans to open more outlets in the country.

Alosra is licensed to sell pork in Bahrain, although recent Government discussions to ban the sale of pork could affect business.

Great Deli Co.

The Great Deli Co. is a BMMI subsidiary which produces ready-to-eat meals including salads, sandwiches, wraps and sushi rolls. A spin-off from the brand is The Great Deli Café which operates an outlet in Saar.

Contract Services and Supply

BMMI provides contract based services (warehousing, distribution and shipping) and sourcing and supply options to Government, Defence, and Energy sectors within the Middle East and Africa.

Sourcing and Supply Food/Sourcing and Supply Technical

The Group partners with manufacturers and wholesalers to provide contract-based consumable/non-consumable procurement and supply services for overseas governments, non-government organisations, militaries and industrial concerns in the GCC, Middle East, and Africa. This includes sourcing and supply of temperature sensitive rations, fresh food and vegetables, as well as industrial hardware, equipment, and spare parts.

Contract Services and Supply

The BMMI Contract Services and Supply stream includes the following Divisions:

Sourcing and Supply Food/Sourcing and Supply Technical

BMMI provides contract-based consumable/non-consumable procurement and supply services for overseas governments, non-government organisations, militaries and industrial concerns in the GCC, Middle East, and Africa.

Through partnerships with international manufacturers and wholesalers, BMMI has access to over one million line items of branded and non-branded products to provide sourcing and supply of temperature sensitive rations, fresh food and vegetables, as well as industrial hardware, equipment, and spare parts.

Government Contracts

BMMI is the Subsistence Prime Vendor (SPV) to the US Military in the Middle East Zone 4 (Bahrain (NSA), Qatar (Al Udeid Air Base and Camp As Sayliyah) and Saudi Arabia (Eskan Village). The 5-year contract value is in excess of US$185 million and is administered by the Defense Supply Centre Philadelphia (DSCP). In addition to the US Government Subsistence contract, BMMI supports Military needs of US, French and German militaries as well as the United Nations and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the Middle East region and East Africa.

Through a joint venture with Inchcape Shipping Services, BMMI also provides regional husbanding services to the United States Fifth Fleet. Additional US Navy husbandry contracts are held in West Africa, South Africa, New York, California, Alaska and South America.

Global Sourcing and Supply

Global Sourcing and Supply is the African contracting operation of BMMI. This business is aimed at successfully providing a comprehensive range of contracted services, sourcing and supply options to commercial, governmental and NGO clients in mature and developing markets. Operating in remote sites, defense and off-shore sectors, the range of services is supplied to industries such as mining, oil & gas, construction, and agriculture.

Joint Ventures and Subsidiaries

BMMI Djibouti

The Group’s logistics facility in the Djibouti Free Zone comprises a 17,500 square metres warehouse which provides air-conditioned, chilled and frozen storage areas.

BMMI Djibouti is currently servicing a logistics contract for USAID, which entails the receipt, handling and storage of c. 30,000 tonnes of products per annum, and re-delivery of processed commodities owned by USAID.

In addition, it manages logistics and supply contracts for several foreign militaries as well as various navy vessels calling into the port of Djibouti.

B&B Logistics

B&B Logistics is a joint venture between BMMI and BANZ, a Bahrain-based trading, supply chain and warehousing services group. The Company specialises in the construction and operation of temperature-controlled warehousing facilities for clients across the MENA region.

Inchcape Shipping Services Bahrain

Inchcape Shipping Services Bahrain (ISS Bahrain) is a joint venture between BMMI and Inchcape Shipping Services, an international marine services provider. ISS Bahrain provides a comprehensive range of port agency, vessel husbandry, container liner, freight-forwarding, marine survey, and project support services.

ZAD Marketing and Distribution

In 2003, the Group acquired a 50 per cent stake and day-to-day management control of ZAD Marketing and Distribution, a long-established food and household goods wholesaler and distributor in Qatar.

International standards

International Accreditations include:

• ISO 9001:2000 - Quality Management Systems
• OHSAS 18001:2007 - Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems
• Lloyds Register - Marine Surveys

Social responsibility

The Group’s involvement in community outreach activities places emphasis on education. Initiated in 2003, the Alosra University Scholarship scheme covers tuition fees for a four-year course at the University of Bahrain for students from low-income families. It has also set up the Alosra Charitable Foundation, the proceeds from which will go towards helping the disadvantaged in the community.

External links

• BMMI web site
• BMMI Shops Online