Case Study

How a Dubai FMCG Distributor Went from SAR 27M Stagnation to SAR 110M Pipeline in 14 Months

Company

Second-generation FMCG distributor (Dubai & Riyadh operations)

Company

Second-generation FMCG distributor (Dubai & Riyadh operations)

Company

Second-generation FMCG distributor (Dubai & Riyadh operations)

Services

Market Research · Supply-Chain Optimization · Amazon UAE & KSA Launch · Private-Label Brand Creation · TikTok Shop & Noon Integration · D2C Shopify Store

Services

Market Research · Supply-Chain Optimization · Amazon UAE & KSA Launch · Private-Label Brand Creation · TikTok Shop & Noon Integration · D2C Shopify Store

Services

Market Research · Supply-Chain Optimization · Amazon UAE & KSA Launch · Private-Label Brand Creation · TikTok Shop & Noon Integration · D2C Shopify Store

Industry

FMCG Distribution & Private Label

Industry

FMCG Distribution & Private Label

Industry

FMCG Distribution & Private Label

Website

Year

2024 – 2025 (ongoing)

Year

2024 – 2025 (ongoing)

Year

2024 – 2025 (ongoing)

Second-generation family distributor stuck at SAR 27M for four years. 82 % revenue from declining traditional B2B wholesale, zero owned brand, heirs pushing for split. One question: “Can we 3x without hiring 50 people or losing control?”

Dubai-based Family-Owned FMCG Distributor (confidential)

Second-generation family business headquartered in Dubai with distribution warehouses in UAE & KSA. Specializes in FMCG and consumer goods wholesale. Annual turnover SAR 250M+. Name, logo and exact identity withheld at client’s request.

كنا نفكر أن أمازون سيقتلنا. طلع أنه هو اللي أنقذنا وأعطى أولادي شركة يفتخرون بها. أزهر ما جاب لنا خطة، جاب لنا علامة تجارية خاصة تحقق أرقاماً في ٩ أشهر كنا نحلم فيها ٩ سنوات.» — مالك مجموعة توزيع بضائع استهلاكية، دبي (الاسم والصورة محجوبان بناءً على طلب العميل) We thought Amazon would kill us. Turns out it saved us and gave my sons a brand they’re proud of. Azhar didn’t bring a plan — he brought a private label doing in 9 months what we dreamed of in 9 years.” — Owner, Dubai-based FMCG distributor

The challenges

• 82 % revenue from declining B2B wholesale

• Zero owned brand, only low-margin distribution

• Gen-2 threatening exit if no growth in 18 months

• Fear of Amazon & Noon killing the business

Our approach

(fully remote after one Dubai iftar)

• Phase 1: Identified “better-for-you” snacks gap in UAE & KSA

• Phase 2: Created private-label brand + new LLC in 6 weeks

• Phase 3: Launched 18 SKUs on Amazon UAE, Amazon KSA, Noon & TikTok Shop

• Phase 4: Live now – scaling inventory + own D2C site

The challenges

• 82 % revenue from declining B2B wholesale

• Zero owned brand, only low-margin distribution

• Gen-2 threatening exit if no growth in 18 months

• Fear of Amazon & Noon killing the business

Our approach

(fully remote after one Dubai iftar)

• Phase 1: Identified “better-for-you” snacks gap in UAE & KSA

• Phase 2: Created private-label brand + new LLC in 6 weeks

• Phase 3: Launched 18 SKUs on Amazon UAE, Amazon KSA, Noon & TikTok Shop

• Phase 4: Live now – scaling inventory + own D2C site

The challenges

• 82 % revenue from declining B2B wholesale

• Zero owned brand, only low-margin distribution

• Gen-2 threatening exit if no growth in 18 months

• Fear of Amazon & Noon killing the business

Our approach

(fully remote after one Dubai iftar)

• Phase 1: Identified “better-for-you” snacks gap in UAE & KSA

• Phase 2: Created private-label brand + new LLC in 6 weeks

• Phase 3: Launched 18 SKUs on Amazon UAE, Amazon KSA, Noon & TikTok Shop

• Phase 4: Live now – scaling inventory + own D2C site

The results

• Amazon UAE + KSA combined run-rate: SAR 8.9M in first 9 months (from zero)

• Total new digital pipeline: SAR 110M+ annualized by Q4 2025

• Private-label gross margins: 34 % (vs old 11 %)

• Heirs now fully running the digital entity

Key takeaways

Private label + marketplaces is the fastest wealth-transfer tool for GCC family distributors.

The results

• Amazon UAE + KSA combined run-rate: SAR 8.9M in first 9 months (from zero)

• Total new digital pipeline: SAR 110M+ annualized by Q4 2025

• Private-label gross margins: 34 % (vs old 11 %)

• Heirs now fully running the digital entity

Key takeaways

Private label + marketplaces is the fastest wealth-transfer tool for GCC family distributors.

The results

• Amazon UAE + KSA combined run-rate: SAR 8.9M in first 9 months (from zero)

• Total new digital pipeline: SAR 110M+ annualized by Q4 2025

• Private-label gross margins: 34 % (vs old 11 %)

• Heirs now fully running the digital entity

Key takeaways

Private label + marketplaces is the fastest wealth-transfer tool for GCC family distributors.

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كنا نعيش على التجارة التقليدية منذ عقود وكنا نخشى أن نفقد هويتنا لو دخلنا الديجيتا الأخ أزهر لم يأتِ بتقارير طويلة ولا عروض باوربوينت، جاء بحلول بسيطة بدأت تُظهر أرقاماً في الحساب البنكي خلال أسابيع فقط. اليوم لدينا قناة رقمية تحقق أكثر من مليون ريال شهرياً، والأبناء الذين كانوا يُفكرون في تقسيم الشركة أصبحوا الآن شركاء في الكيان الجديد. باختصار: أعطانا قفزة ١٨ سنة… في ١٨ شهراً فقط.» — رئيس مجلس إدارة مجموعة عائلية، الرياض (الاسم والصورة محجوبان بناءً على طلب العميل) “We lived on traditional wholesale for decades and feared losing our identity if we went digital. Azhar didn’t bring long reports or PowerPoint decks — he brought simple solutions that started showing numbers in the bank within weeks. Today we have a digital channel generating over SAR 1M monthly, and the cousins who were planning to split the company are now co-owners of the new entity. In short: he gave us an 18-year leap… in just 18 months.” — Chairman, Riyadh-based family conglomerate

Chairman, Riyadh-based family conglomerate

Third-generation family business leader

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كنا نظن أن تيك توك للصغار وأن الإنترنت سيقتل فخامتنا. اليوم ٦٨٪ من زبائننا شباب دون ٣٥ سنة ومبيعاتنا الرقمية تجاوزت ٤٢ مليون في ١٦ شهراً فقط. الأخ أزهر ما باعنا موقعاً… باعنا مستقبل الأجيال القادمة.» — الجيل الثالث، دار عطور جدّاوية عريقة (الاسم والصورة محجوبان بناءً على طلب العميل) We thought TikTok was for kids and internet would kill our luxury image. Today 68 % of our customers are under 35 and digital sales crossed SAR 42M in just 16 months. Azhar didn’t sell us a website… he sold us the future for the next generations.” Third generation, heritage Jeddah fragrance house —

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