Hamid Chavoshi was born in ۱۹۷۹. He was graduated in mechanical engineering from Sharif University of Technology. He enjoys ۱۲ years of management and trade experience inside and outside the country. He started his cooperation with Solico Group in a project in Iraq ۵ years ago. Solico Group, which consists of ۴۰ companies and ۱۲ factories, holds one of the most famous food brands in Iran, which is Kalleh. Chavoshi is the exports director of Kalleh Company at the present. In the following interview, he expounds upon the condition and problems of working in Iraq and the experiences of this large dairy products company.
Please brief us about activities of Solico Group.
Solico Group, which consists of ۴۰ companies and ۱۲ factories, holds one of the most famous food brands in Iran, which is Kalleh.
Mr. Gholam-Ali Soleymani established Solico Group some ۴۰ years ago and created the current status for it through many years of innovation in the food industry and distribution channel marketing. Amol Dairy Products Factory is one of the largest dairy products factories in the Middle East with receiving over ۲,۰۰۰ tons of milk per day.
Of the other activities of Solico Group, it could be referred to producing meat products with the brands of Kalleh, Solico, and Pemina, fruits and vegetables with the brands of Pemina, ice creams with the brands of Kalleh and Brimond, drinks with the brands of Castle and Shams, and sauces with the brands of Kalleh and Kouchin.
What are the main plans and programs of Solico Group at the present?
Developing export markets and creating renowned brand in the region are the main objectives of group in the field of exports. Solico has exported products to ۱۵ countries since ۹ years ago.
Persian Gulf countries, North and East African countries, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Canada, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, and Iraq have been already our target export markets.
* What worth of exports has the company already conducted?
Kalleh has exported about ۲۰۰ million dollars worth of products in the last year and the figure is planned to increase noticeably in the next year. The exports task of Solico Group was started by Mr. Ali Zare' with the full support of Mr. Soleymani, and successful activity in Iraqi market has been one of the big achievements of the group.
How many jobs has the group already created?
Solico Group has created jobs for about ۱۴,۰۰۰ persons.
When did the company start working in Iraq?
We started working in Iraq with some representatives some ۸ years ago. Then, we started distribution channel marketing in which we believe a lot for success in this trade.
We faced many objections at the first, but we continued working by strong will and precise planning and established the first branch in Karbala. Then, we established branches in Kut, Najaf, Nasiriyah, Amarah, Kalar and recently in Sulaymaniyah and Erbil. We have decided to cover all parts in Iraq with our distribution channel.
Our distribution centers, marketing, sales and distribution teams are active in all of the mentioned cities, so we have tried to make good publicity in Iraq and at the same time introduce Kalleh as a high quality brand through offering high-quality products, given the fact that Iraqi market accepts food brands from all over the world.
It should be also mentioned that by establishing Seven Ten Stores in Iraq, the vast range of Solico products are introduced over there which have been very welcomed by the Iraqi people.
How can a company enter the Iraqi market in general?
Like any other market, knowing the market is the key to enter Iraqi market. Due to the security condition, Iraq has its own difficulties and dangers. But, the Iraq's team of Kalleh Company has tackled them well and I appreciate all of our colleagues in Iraq for this big task.
What do you suggest other Iranian companies for entering Iraqi market?
Iraqis have many cultural things in common with us and Iraqi government wants to help those making investment in that country. It is promising, but not enough.
Besides technical knowledge and executive capability, that every investor should have, one of the requirements for investment making in Iraq is making investment in the projects that the Iraqi people benefit from them. When a company decides to work in Iraq despite the security condition of that country, it expects full support of the Iraqi government.
* What is your main problem in Iraq?
In my idea, the main problem of working in Iraq is lack of enough support from both Iranian and Iraqi government.
Difference between standards of food products in Iran and Iraq is another problem in exports of such products.
The other problem is the security condition in Iraq that slows down progress of working there.
Another problem is due to the sanctions imposed on Iran, for example sending bank draft and opening LC is impossible for the Iranian companies.
How do you assess cooperation of officials with you?
They have helped us a lot so far, especially Messrs Kazemi Qomi and Shariati in Iran-Iraq Headquarters, Mrs. Pirouzbakht in Standards Organization, Mr. Danaii-Far, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, as well as Trade Promotion Organization and Customs Administration of Iran have helped us noticeably that we appreciate it a lot.
Of course, these organizations can add measures such as granting export bonus, which has been promised some long time ago, to their positive actions.
I hope that governmental aids in terms of capital and facilities will be offered in Iran such as some neighboring countries. No company in any country makes ۱۰۰ percent of the investment on its own, and the governments help the companies in developing their activities in terms of serving the country and people.
Iraq does not give us any facility and we expect more from our own country. Of course, the Iraqi government gives us the land, but as the allocated land is not in a proper location due to not access to water and electricity, which are required for a dairy products factory, we have not welcomed and used such plans.
How much have been the new Iranian government's measures in line with your objectives and helping exports of commodities and services?
The new government's actions in this field such as omitting export tax have been fruitful in our idea. But, we are still far from the condition proper for competing in the international markets.
If the sanctions are lifted completely by the effort of our government, few countries in the region can compete with Iran in the field of industry, because Iranians have always proven their high abilities in all fields.
And final comments?
If we want to be successful in exports, we should take more serious steps. Only granting export bonus does not remove the problem. At the present, the industrialists in some fields such as exports, which require identifying the new markets, entering them and staying in them for a long time, are working mostly relying on their own capabilities.
If the sanctions are lifted and the government supports the industrialists, be sure that the Iranian products will be at the first place in the region, as they have already proven their quality. And, in case of receiving this support, we will observe a new face of Iran's industrial capabilities in the region and even world.
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