First kettle chips brand from Kuwait

Hectare’s is known to produce the first kettle cooked chips and popcorn in Kuwait. The brainchild of Al Wazzan Food Stuff Industries Group, the brand is a testament to the company’s vision to offer novelty snack foods in the region.  Although young it is backed by a veteran parent company that can bring it to a much wider consumer base in the GCC, and in future, transcend global borders. 

In a recent interview with Food Manufacturing Journal – Middle East, Jassim Muntaser, director at Al Wazzan Foodstuff Industries Group spoke about the company’s journey, its current and emerging product offerings and the path it chooses to follow.

Jassim Muntaser, Director, Al Wazzan Foodstuff Industries Group

Hectare’s is a promising snack brand in Kuwait. When did Al Wazzan conceptualise the brand?

The story of Hectare’s began two and a half years ago. We had a plan to penetrate the market with a unique product. It took us about a year of brainstorming, then finally we decided to create a high-quality product that no one manufactures in the GCC. We are the first company that manufactures kettle cooked popcorn in the region and for kettle chips, we are the first ones locally in Kuwait. We tried to replicate the success story of kettle chips in England and how when it arrived in the market, it altered the behaviour of consumers; it helped consumers switch from a low-quality chip to a high-end product.

What’s imperative is the realisation that consumers of today are educated and wish to spend a little more on a healthy, high quality product. So, we want to replicate this story in the GCC.

Which products come under the brand umbrella? Do these come in a variety of flavours as well?

For the time being we have two major products that shape the brand – hand-cooked chips and kettle cooked popcorn. We are in the process of creating new products. Our chip flavours include sea salt & balsamic vinegar, sweet chili and red pepper, summer BBQ, and cheese and onion, among others.

From Cheese & Onion to Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, Hectare's kettle chips cater to consumers who seek new flavours.

Besides being the first in Kuwait to offer such products, what would you say is the brand’s unique selling proposition?

We are a high-quality chip and popcorn manufacturer. We not only have the latest machines available to help us in creating a unique product, we also have the best packaging to offer.  We welcome visitors to come and tour our facilities to see and understand how products are manufactured.

We are the only factory locally that uses sunflower oil and that offers us an edge. But our unique selling proposition remains our European packaging designs that help attract the customers. Our packaging inspires consumers to assume Hectare’s to be imported products but on gaining knowledge of our base, it helped foster our brand coverage and loyalty.

How would you characterise the region’s consumers of snack foods?

Consumers are educated more than before as they are trying to find a healthier option in snacks. They are seeking gluten-free products; they are keen to avoid flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), and they also want GMO-free options.

Which demographic does the brand cater to, and why?

Currently, we are aiming at increasing our teen base, as well as targeting middle aged men and women. They constitute most of our target base and are the end consumers found at the aisles in the supermarkets which make them our priority. However, we don’t aim to stop there as every age bracket has the capacity to be our customer since everyone wishes to consume a product that tastes good and is healthy. We are ultimately ruled by our palate and we wish to engage that concept to grow further.

It seems imperative that the brand engages the consumer of today? Do you agree?

Yes, as a company we must be on the same page as our consumers. Engaging with the users on social media, in physical locations, such as supermarkets and shopping malls bring us closer to them.

Ultimately, it’s about producing our food products with passion and there is no greater joy than sharing that passion with our customers which strengthens our bond with them.

What research and development protocols and quality standards does it follow?

We have recruited people from key locations globally with experience in kettle chip and pop manufacturing to give us the technical and managerial expertise required in such cases. We adhere to high UK standards in terms of maintenance, manufacturing, procedures and hygiene. We have received all the necessary certifications such as ISO 22000, ISO 14001, and ISO 9001.

In which countries is Hectare’s currently offered, and how is it distributed in the region?

We just ventured into the UAE whilst we are working with the Lulu company in Qatar and Bahrain. We are also available in Oman. We sell to Subway Kuwait and Bahrain directly.

Are there expansion plans in the near future?

While we remain a relatively young company, only under three years old, our parent company holds 40 years of solid experience in manufacturing which will aid us to penetrate existing markets and grow in new markets of interest.

With our local manufacturing facilities in Kuwait, we wish to expand further but we need to do a bit of market research to see which regional and international markets further our mission of gaining more traction and increasing our customer base.

How tall is the brand on its corporate social initiatives?

We try to maintain an open approach for all; we don’t wish to close our doors on anyone. We are very confident of the products on offer and welcome our consumers specially the main stakeholders to review our facilities anytime. We endorse school visits, bank visits, etc. and try to associate ourselves with all existing and potential companies.

Ultimately, ours is a food brand and to grow, it is imperative that we engage with the end consumer to create brand loyalty. Going forward, that is the only way for us to flourish.