Yamama

What Yamama does

Yamama (legal name Usine Laveluxe Industrielle) is a privately held Lebanese food manufacturing company founded in 1964 by Ahmad Ataya in Shiyah, originally producing Laveluxe soap and laundry powder. After the founder's disappearance and severe damage to the Naameh plant during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, his elder son Adnan Ahmad Ataya took over in 1983 and rebuilt the business under the Yamama brand, pivoting into food production. The company today manufactures a broad portfolio of pantry staples across roughly ten categories: tomato-based products (paste, ketchup, hot sauce), vinegars (apple, grape, balsamic, white, red), grenadine molasses, fruit and floral syrups, jams, soy sauce, canned vegetables, pasta and rice, and rose/blossom water. Yamama claims to be the first Lebanese manufacturer of balsamic vinegar, and the company operates a single manufacturing plant in Naameh (south of Beirut) using automated equipment and adherence to international manufacturing practices.

The company holds ISO 22000:2005 food safety certification (obtained 2015) and tests products to LIBNOR (Lebanese Standard Institution) and international standards. Its underlying technology is conventional food processing and packaging, with no disclosed proprietary software or AI components; competitive differentiation rests on heritage brand equity, manufacturing capability and shelf relationships rather than technology.

Yamama operates a wholesale and distributor-led business model. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of manufactured food products, with 65% of production exported via international distributors across Gulf markets, Egypt, Canada and the USA, and the remaining 35% sold domestically through Ataya Food Company SAL, a wholly-owned distribution subsidiary established in 2008 and managed by Ali Ataya. Products reach end users through supermarket chains and retail outlets, with a secondary presence in food service and hospitality. The company is family-owned across two generations, has no external institutional investors, and supports its GTM through its bilingual website and recurring participation in SIAL (France), ANUGA (Germany) and Gulfood (Dubai) trade exhibitions. Headcount is reported in the 101–250 range, and pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Yamama

Legal name

Usine Laveluxe Industrielle

Website

https://yamama-lb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Yamama is a privately held, family-owned Lebanese food manufacturer founded in 1964 producing vinegars, syrups, tomato products, jams, soy sauce, canned vegetables, pasta and rice under the Yamama brand, exporting 65% of output to Gulf markets and Western countries via distributors and supermarket chains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Manufacturing (Condiments & Sauces)

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Canned & Jarred Fruit & Vegetable Processing (Canning, Bottling) (AFAKAFAH)

Keywords

• Food manufacturing
• Vinegar production
• Condiments distribution
• Tomato processing
• Canned vegetables

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food Products Manufacturing and Distribution: Yamama generates revenue through the manufacturing and sale of food products including vinegars, syrups, tomato products, jams, soy sauce, pasta, rice, canned vegetables, and other food items. Products are sold through distributors to supermarkets and retail outlets in Lebanon, Gulf countries, and western markets. 65% of production is exported internationally while 35% serves the local Lebanese market.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Yamama manufactures and sells a diversified range of branded food products, including vinegars (apple, grape, balsamic, white, red), tomato-based items (tomato paste, ketchup, hot sauce), grenadine molasses, fruit and floral syrups, jams, soy sauce, canned vegetables, pasta and rice, and rose/blossom water. The company operates its own production facility in Naameh, Lebanon, distributes domestically through the Ataya Food Company SAL subsidiary, and exports to Gulf markets, Egypt, Canada, and the United States.

Product overview

Yamama is a Lebanese food manufacturing company (Usine Laveluxe Industrielle) established in 1964, producing a diverse portfolio of food products under the Yamama brand. The company operates as a single unified product line with multiple product categories including tomato-based products (paste, ketchup, hot sauce), vinegars (apple, grape, balsamic, white, red), syrups, grenadine molasses, jams, soy sauce, canned vegetables, pasta and rice, and floral waters. Yamama claims to be the first Lebanese manufacturer of balsamic vinegar and exports 65% of its production to Gulf markets and Western countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tomato base products (Tomato Paste, Ketchup, Hot Sauce) Tomato-based condiments including tomato paste, ketchup, and hot sauce offered in multiple package sizes for household and food service buyers.
• Vinegars (Apple, Grape, Balsamic, White, Red) Range of vinegar variants sold under the Yamama brand for cooking, salad dressings, and food preparation, with balsamic vinegar produced under proprietary processes.
• Grenadine Molasses Traditional grenadine molasses sold in multiple bottle sizes for cooking, dressings, and Middle Eastern culinary uses.
• Syrups (Blackberry, Rose, Jallab, Apricot, Tamarind, Fruits) Sweet syrups used for beverages and desserts, sold in retail bottle formats for household consumption.
• Jams (Apricot, Fig, Strawberry, Cherry) Fruit preserves in multiple flavors sold to retail consumers for breakfast and baking applications.
• Soy Sauce Soy sauce sold in food service-style 3-liter packaging for restaurants and larger household use.
• Canned Vegetables (Peas, Mushrooms, Corn, Mayonnaise) Canned vegetable assortment including legumes, mushrooms, sweet corn, and mayonnaise sold for household and food service use.
• Pasta & Rice (Penne, Fusilli, Farfalle, Spaghetti, Basmati) Dry pasta and rice varieties in multiple shapes and sizes for household and food service cooking.
• Rose Water & Blossom Water Rose and blossom waters marketed for culinary and traditional Middle Eastern applications.
• Other Products (Alcohol, Cleaning Products, Salt) Supplementary products including potable alcohol, cleaning supplies, and salt sold alongside the food product range.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% of production exported internationally
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SIAL (France)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational food industry exhibition participation that has helped Yamama enter new markets and countries. The company participates in this trade show to showcase products to international buyers and distributors.
• ANUGA (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational food exhibition in Germany that Yamama has participated in to expand into European and western markets.
• Gulfood (Dubai)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Gulf food exhibition that has been instrumental in expanding Yamama's presence in Gulf markets, which represent a significant portion of their export business.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Almarai Company: Saudi Arabia-based large-scale food and beverage manufacturer with distribution across the Gulf. Comparable in scale of Middle East distribution, retail relationships and supply chain footprint.
• Americana Group: Kuwait-headquartered Middle East food conglomerate operating across frozen foods, dairy and condiments. Comparable as a multi-category regional food manufacturer serving Gulf and broader MENA markets.

Direct peers

• Barilla Group: Global pasta and sauce manufacturer. Directly comparable in Yamama's pasta and ready-sauce lines, particularly for the retail channel and international distribution.
• Halwani Bros Co. Saudi-based food manufacturer producing jams, preserves, tahini, canned vegetables and condiments for Middle East and export markets. Highly comparable multi-category staples model with strong regional brand heritage like Yamama.
• De Cecco: Italian dry pasta manufacturer with strong export presence. Comparable as a pasta-focused supplier in Yamama's product range with similar export-driven growth model.
• Pomì (Conserve Italia): Italian tomato products manufacturer specializing in canned tomato pulp and paste for retail and foodservice. Comparable in tomato-base canned/jarred products and in export-driven distribution.
• Mutti S.p.A. Italian specialty tomato products company (paste, pulp, ketchup) with significant export footprint. Comparable in tomato-base and condiments categories that are central to Yamama's portfolio.
• Cirio S.p.A. Italian producer of canned vegetables, tomato products, jams and sauces sold across Europe and the Middle East. Comparable as a multi-category preserved-foods manufacturer supplying retail and foodservice.

Broad incumbents

• Kraft Heinz Company: Global packaged food major with leading positions in ketchup, condiments, sauces and vinegars. Comparable as a broad incumbent in many of Yamama's core categories.
• The J. M. Smucker Company: North American packaged food company with a large jams, preserves, syrups and condiments portfolio. Comparable in the jam, syrup and preserve categories where Yamama competes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/yamama.lb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yamama-co

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yamama