Syria Today | Q&A: Anil Babbar

Q&A: Anil Babbar
Vice President & Chief Executive Officer of Katakit Food Industries

How is business?

Business is always a challenge, especially in Syria where the economy is opening up to international competition. We expect there will be competition from outside and, at the same time, the internal competition will grow. It has to grow. We are preparing ourselves. We are a dominant player in the Syrian market. Foreign companies should compete with us on our terms, not the other way around. Competition is always welcome. It gives you a lot of opportunities to learn and become more creative.

So you are planning to expand internationally?

We want to go beyond our region and compete with international players in their markets as well. To do this we are expanding our product range, updating our packaging design and making sure we deliver high-quality products at the right price. This process will happen in stages. Katakit is strong in the Levant. We dominate Syria and are strong in Jordan and Lebanon. We have taken the decision to go the Gulf. These are Arab markets so they are easier to break into – we don't have to change the packaging and the taste profiles are similar. After that we plan to go to Africa, which is a huge market. We will have to adjust our products and look at the price point, but we have people who are experienced in this process.

At some point Syria is expected to sign an Association Agreement with the EU. Is this agreement a threat or an opportunity?

This agreement is very welcome. If we have zero duties we can find big opportunities in big markets. At the same time, we need to look at Arab markets as well – Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. We need to have zero duties with these countries also.

There are some in the country who argue Syrian manufacturers cannot stand up to the competition. What is your position?

It's a mindset. However, before you can compete with the outside world, you have to carry out some fundamental internal changes. You need to prepare yourself, which we are doing. We are enhancing our managerial skills and our resource planning skills. These are core functions. You have to do something inside before you can go outside.

You worked in Russia, Dubai and India when these economies were being liberalised. How does the Syrian experience compare?

In Russia the opening happened overnight. This caused problems. The process is more controlled in Syria. There is a plan behind the opening. As a businessman I appreciate the Syrian way. In 1992 India also opened up. They did it carefully and it has worked. That experience is more relevant to Syria.