Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Batterjee started his trading house in Jeddah in the first decade of the previous century, long before the promise of oil would transform the fortunes of Saudi Arabia so radically.

But even he would scarcely have believed the strides his own company would make across a full century of great happenings.  An exclusively trading operation diversified in course of time into the manufacture of goods badly needed by a growing and increasingly prosperous nation as the country’s economy went through modernisation and expansion.
As well as trading, the group has manufacturing activities across a diverse range from cosmetics and baby care products to pharmaceuticals, garments, footwear, plastic products and ice creams, the diversity of the operations reflecting the Batterjee Group’s business acumen and its ability to capitalise on opportunities as they came along.
 The group hastens to comment that the common thread that unites the various companies within its fold is that they all, to a greater or lesser degree, contribute to the Saudi economy and the kingdom’s industrial development.
Although Sheikh Ibrahim set the ball rolling so to say by establishing IH Batterjee & Sons in 1908 to serve as general merchants, exporters and importers, it was his son Sheikh Mohammed who presided over diversification and is recognised as the founder of the Batterjee Group.
Fresh from scientific studies in the UK, Sheikh Mohammed joined a pharmaceutical business that the company had set up. It became the agent for multinationals such as Eli Lily, Bayer, Upjohn, Organon, Carter Wallace, SK&F, Beecham, Evian, Delande, Johnson & Johnson, Scholl, Squibb, Famitalia, Sandoz, Lagerfield and Elizabeth Arden.  Demonstrating strong leadership capabilities, Sheikh Mohammed laid the foundations for Batterjee Trading, Industrial and Medical Company which the group says gave the new company’s business objectives “a uniquely Saudi dimension,” one that was independent and self-sufficient while also boosting employment and contributing to the nation’s welfare and economy.
In subsequent decades there were fresh start-ups, acquisitions and mergers, eventually making Al Batterjee a force to reckon with in the various sectors it was involved in.
“The subsidiaries are autonomous, highly successful companies but with the financial security and access to resources which being part of a larger group provides,” says a company spokesman.
“Many Al Batterjee companies operate in dynamic, highly competitive sectors where the need to respond quickly to satisfy the customer is paramount,” adds the spokesman. “This has required the use of leading-edge technology to ensure that all products are produced efficiently, distributed effectively and priced competitively, which helped the group to secure a reputation for service, quality and innovative design.”
The group’s manufacturing firms comprise Al Batterjee Cosmetics and Baby Care Products, Al Batterjee Ice Cream and Juice Products, Al Batterjee Garments and Leather Products, Al Batterjee Foodstuffs, Al Batterjee Plastic Products and Al Batterjee Pharmaceutical Products. The last-named only recently joined the group portfolio.
Ice Creams and Juice products
Al Batterjee ice creams are marketed with a distinctive elephant motif, which the company says has been used to greater effect in creating a popular and well-known brand.
One of the largest and longest established divisions of the group, the Jumbo ice cream factory’s offerings are available in the GCC and other Middle East markets. The company’s modern Al Batterjee Ice Cream and Juice Plant also produces a range of refreshing drinks including fruit juices. The factory is located in the heart of Jeddah’s industrial city and occupies approximately 9,000 sq m and makes use of the latest production technology. The equipment has come from Hoyer of Denmark and Tetra Pak of Sweden. A British company has supplied equipment for producing chocolate spreads and ice cream ripples. The company, technically managed by Dutch personnel, has supplied ice cream and juices to military establishments and has the ISO 9000 certification.  

Al Batterjee Foodstuffs
The group considers the import, manufacture and packing and distribution of foodstuffs as one of its major activities.
The products include premium spices and legumes sourced from around the world and a range of savoury snacks made from the finest natural ingredients.
The manufactured products include ketchup, mayonnaise, honey, jam, hot sauces and condiments for culinary and dietary purposes. Al Batterjee Foodstuff Plant operates in an area of approximately 8,000 sq m at the Industrial City of Jeddah. The products are manufactured under the Kowais brand and distributed domestically through the group’s network and exported through accredited agents.
“The continued expansion of this division, both in product lines and product sales, provides a good example of the uniquely Saudi dimension of the Al Batterjee Group in operation,” says the spokesman. “It clearly demonstrates the ability of the company to enter an already crowded marketplace and, by fully understanding the tastes and preferences of the Saudi consumer, to become an established brand with a relatively short period of time.”

Al Batterjee Garments and Footwear
With Versace and Madonna as brand names, the group manufactures modern, well-designed wear that it insists can compete with international suppliers.
Production began at Al Batterjee Garments and Leather Products Plant in 1995. “Through vision, talent and hard work, the company has elevated the label ‘Made in Saudi Arabia’ in fashion circles and thereby contributed to Saudi culture and tradition,” observes the spokesman. The 7,000 sq m plant takes care of all aspects of design and manufacture. The sewing section is quipped with a dozen production lines using the latest machinery while another section is devoted to buttonholes and fixing accessories. A third section supervises finishing.
The footwear side complements the clothing output. Al Batterjee Garments and Leather Products Plant also produces high-quality and fashionable footwear for the discerning Saudi market. The company makes footwear in both oriental and Italian styles. Other products from the leather segment include ladies handbags and promotional bags made to order. The plant also offers such services as embroidery, silkscreen printing and computer-aided techniques to personalise garments with company logos as well as thermal printing and textiles for furnishing.

Pharmaceutical and Plastic Products
These are the latest additions to Al Batterjee’s portfolio. The pharmaceutical plant has been built in a 12,000 sq m plot and will produce over-the-counter and other products. The formulations are available as tablets, capsules, syrups, creams and ointments. Commenting on the new plant, the spokesman says: “The project is an example of the continuing drive of the Batterjee Group to make significant contributions, where viable, to the health of the national economy and, at the same time, to improve the quality of life for Saudis.”
Al Batterjee Plastic Products Plant has come up in a 9,000 sq m area and has been equipped to serve the plastic packaging needs for Batterjee Group companies. The company’s intention is to expand from this platform to meeting the needs of other companies.
The group would not have succeeded to the extent it has were it not for its marketing capabilities. To ensure that the group’s products are distributed quickly and efficiently, the Marketing Division has mobilised a fleet of 250 vehicles for the transportation of its various products. The group’s distribution network covers most towns and villages, making it possible for its offerings to reach supermarkets, mini-markets, pharmacies, hospitals, polyclinics and hotels and retail centres as expeditiously and efficiently as possible.
Beyond the wheeling and dealing associated with the complexities of modern business, the Batterjee family is linked to one of Jeddah’s most famous landmarks, Al Batterjee House which was the birthplace of the very first operation, IH Batterjee & Sons.
The house, whose origins go back to 1860, was renovated by Sheikh Ibrahim. Later it was used as the first US consulate in Saudi Arabia between 1940 and 1952. Prior to that it was a staff residence for employees of the Arabian American Oil Company. It was also rented by the British Petroleum Company.