Browny Popcorn
A graduate from SQU, Abdullah Mohammed Saud Al Dughaishi’s single minded devotion has enabled him to take his ‘Browny Popcorn’ brand to a new level since its launch in 2015. He has now set his sights on exporting his products.
“I am honoured to be a member of the Direct Support Programme from Zubair SEC. This has definitely enhanced my business and my brand. It helped us “financially” to develop the production and marketing strategy and “administratively” through advisory support. I would like to commend Zubair SEC for their unique support to SMEs in Oman.”, says Abdullah Al Dughaishi.
Taste of Success
Abdullah Mohammed Saud Al Dughaishi is an entrepreneur who believes innovation is key to success.
‘Browny Popcorn’ launched in 2015, has come a long way to become today one of the leading brands sold all across the Sultanate and at various leading selling points. Abdullah started the business in 2015 and initially set up a small popcorn outlet at a mall in Al Khuwair. At that time, he was selling more in terms of gourmet-speciality popcorn made for takeaway. But over a year or two, because of lack of footfall in the mall, he discovered that he had to change his business model.
Abdullah worked hard to change his business model and start manufacturing popcorn. He took the risk of manufacturing popcorn in pouches and set up a small factory in Ghala towards the end of 2016. But his business venture did not yield the desired returns.
Things dramatically changed once he was chosen to join Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme. The programme intends to create a spirit of positive competition between Zubair SEC’s members to enrol in the programme, and thus earn a package of essential services and grants to launch and maintain successful and sustainable businesses through working plans implemented in cooperation between the Centre and the programme members.
When Abdullah was taken on board the Direct Support Programme, Zubair SEC’s advisors identified that while he had a good product, there were significant issues related to marketing and distribution that had to be resolved. Firstly, the rent for his factory in Ghala was on the higher side. The only option was to shift to a better location. The suggestion was that he shifts his factory to Mabela to reduce rent by 50 per cent. The factory in the new location was set up with good manufacturing practices such as hygiene and cleanliness. He then took firm steps to reduce the cost of manufacturing and improve distribution capability. He took upon himself the task of getting in touch with distributors, who basically deal with petrol stations. So Al Maha and Shell became part of his delivery capability. More recently, he connected with Future Wells, an Omani company which does distribution in the country and also to key supermarkets. Business has flourished and the brand has turned into one of the leading brands. This distribution capability helped him to improve sales volume.
Abdullah has shown tremendous passion, dedication and a strong will to succeed and grow the business. He has now added Caramel and Caramel with Cinnamon flavours to his growing brand. Growth in terms of volumes too witnessed an increase from 6,000 to 10,000 packs a month now. He has also been looking at expanding into savouries-pizza, barbecue and one of the spicy flavours. All the products packaging is undertaken as per international standards with nitrogen filled packs.
Dwelling on business growth since he came under the ambit of Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme, he says that the growth is more than 40 per cent over 2017. There has been a 50 per cent drop in manufacturing cost and a corresponding 40 per cent increase in volume since he joined the Programme. The average production was earlier 4,000 packets a month earlier, now it is 10,000 packets a month and is expected to increase to 17,000 starting October 2019.