Stocking up success

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Fadi Selwan.

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Raising the stakes and striving to maintain its solid reputation in the UAE, Transmed's future growth strategy is centred around two pillars - innovation and knowledge.

"Our staff come from hotel management backgrounds, which really sets up apart from rival distributors. Training continues on the job to augment their understanding of the products on every level, from storage and preparation, to serving the final dish," says Fadi Selwan, foodservice manager, Transmed.

Knowing the product

Backed by its extensive portfolio of brands geared towards the foodservice sector, including McCain, Bonduelle, Lactalis International, Prèsident and newly introduced breakfast and banquet solutions from Probake, Transmed was first established in Beirut, Lebanon in 1947. It then expanded to become Transmed Overseas first into Jordan in 1972, the UAE five years later, and Syria in 1999.

The company's commitment to brand knowledge though has ensured the success of its business, which now spans across the region, controls re-exports to the Maldives and Seychelles, and taps the potential of both casual and fine dining segments. The constant addition of names like Hunt's, Uncle Ben's, Siblou, Dolmio and ConAgra Foods has also preserved the company's longstanding reputation for quality, and repeat clientele.

"We have warehouses and offices in every Emirate, have grown by 100% annually in recent years and have expanded our reign to meet the requirements of casual and fine dining customers alike," Selwan says.

Wanting to stand apart from other distributors, Transmed works closely on building on-the-job relationships.

Intended to raise product awareness among its staff, the company sends its account executives on work placements in back-of-house operations in some of the city's biggest properties. Transmed employees tackle a number of roles in customers' kitchens, including the Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa, for once a week sessions spanning over two months.

Expanding its services

Investment in international brands has reaped dividends for the company, which receives up to six containers of products weekly by sea freight, with frozen and chilled food items currently accounting for 75% of the company's foodservice business. Popular products at the moment include turkey from Butterball and vegetables from Bonduelle.

However, Selwan believes distributors as a whole need to innovate and improve the foodservice industry, or get left behind. In a bid to resolve the nagging issues holding the foodservice industry back from reaching its full potential though, the company plans to introduce round the clock distribution from its 11 vans dedicated to the foodservice industry.

Including morning and night time deliveries, Selwan says the company negotiated with food and beverage professionals and other distributors and suppliers to make 24-hour deliveries work.

"We plan to develop a new 24-hour delivery system as hotels have been requesting this service. It will bolster efficiency from the loading bays and also bypass the hassles of traffic in the Emirates," Selwan explains.

With ever-increasing competition from other distributors, and with more restaurants opening each month, Transmed's 1200-strong team in the Middle East has maximised its control of all channels with its streamlined logistics structure.

Sophisticated facilities have been rolled out in Dubai to meet the demands of the booming foodservice industry, including 15,000m² of ambient warehouses, 10,000m² temperature controlled warehousing, and an integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with online connectivity to its warehouses and offices.

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