A leading Pakistani firm has entered a joint venture with a Turkish company to export mozzarella cheese to Gulf countries, aiming to capture a share of the region’s growing dairy market valued at over $2 billion annually.
Interloop Holdings, a Pakistani conglomerate best known for supplying textiles to major global sportswear brands, is expanding into the dairy sector through its subsidiary IRC Dairy Products Ltd. The company has partnered with Turkiye’s Rella Gida to process 120,000 liters of milk daily, producing mozzarella cheese and butter for customers in Pakistan, Eurasia, and the Far East.
Interloop Holdings Chairman Musadaq Zulqarnain revealed that he will travel to Turkiye this month to discuss export opportunities for mozzarella cheese to Gulf countries. He noted that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states imported over $2.3 billion worth of cheese and butter in 2024, with Saudi Arabia alone accounting for $980 million.
Zulqarnain said the partnership aims to produce around 7–8 percent of the cheese imported by the GCC region. IRC Dairy’s sales are projected to reach Rs10 billion ($36 million) this fiscal year, and the company plans to boost revenue to Rs40 billion ($142 million) as it triples capacity within three years.
IRC Dairy Targets Major Production Expansion by 2028
Currently, IRC Dairy produces 6,000 tons of cheese, 1,000 tons of butter, and 2,400 tons of whey powder annually. By 2028, these figures are expected to increase to 21,000 tons, 3,500 tons, and 8,400 tons respectively.
Zulqarnain also hinted at the possibility of setting up a cheese production plant in Saudi Arabia through a new joint venture with a local investor to meet rising demand.
The initiative aligns with Pakistan’s broader efforts to enhance non-textile exports and diversify its economy. IRC Dairy CEO Matloob Hussain said Pakistan’s geographical proximity to Gulf countries offers a logistical edge, as shipments from Pakistan reach the Middle East much faster than those from Western nations.