Increased supply intensifies competition in Saudi poultry, egg market

Competition in Saudi Arabia’s poultry and egg market is intensifying amid increased supply and expanding domestic production, giving consumers a wider range of products and brands while prompting more frequent promotions at retailers.

Data monitored by Argaam showed significant variations in chilled chicken prices among companies and across pack sizes.

Al Watania Poultry products recorded the lowest prices for several sizes, while Almarai’s ALYOUM brand and Fakieh Poultry Farms were among the most expensive across several sizes.

The price gap between the lowest- and highest-priced products of the same size ranged from about 38% to 48%.

August 2026 prices

Argaam also monitored widespread promotional offers on poultry and egg products at most supermarkets and food retailers in major cities. The offers included chicken prices reduced to around SAR 10 per bird in some promotions, while a tray of eggs was priced at around SAR 9.

The prevalence of these promotions raises questions about the reasons behind the discounts and whether they are linked to intense competition among companies, seasonality, changes in demand and inventories, or shifts in consumer behavior.

According to commodity price data included in the General Authority for Statistics’ (GASTAT) index, average prices of locally produced chicken remained close to their levels during the same period of the previous year, from January through August 2026.

The average price of Fakieh chilled chicken rose by around 0.6%, while the average price of Al Watania locally produced frozen chicken increased by approximately 0.2%. Meanwhile, the average price of Doux imported frozen chicken increased by around 3.5%.

During the first eight months of 2026, movements in local chicken prices remained limited compared with the same period of the previous year, although Al Watania recorded a relatively larger increase of 3.4% YoY in August, while Fakieh prices rose by around 1.4%.

In contrast, imported frozen chicken under the Doux brand saw a notable shift in its price trend. Prices started the year with YoY declines of 5.7% in January and 3.8% in February, before turning higher from April onward. The increase reached 9.4% in June and 8.8% in July, before rising to around 10% in August.

Listed Companies Revenues

Tadawul-listed companies that separately disclose poultry segment sales recorded collective growth during H1 2026. Tanmiah sales increased 14% to SAR 1.12 billion, while Entaj sales rose 33% to SAR 810.1 million and Balady sales increased 12% to SAR 295.1 million.

The three companies’ combined sales amounted to around SAR 2.22 billion in H1 2026, compared with SAR 1.85 billion in H1 2025, an increase of nearly 20%.

Almarai, which owns the ALYOUM brand, does not separately disclose its poultry business results, instead reporting it under the protein segment. The segment covers the production and distribution of poultry products, in addition to seafood and value-added meat products, which were added to the segment beginning in Q1 2026.

Almarai’s protein segment revenue rose 12.5% YoY to SAR 2.27 billion in H1 2026, compared with around SAR 2.02 billion, taking into account the broader scope of the segment during the current year.

Similarly, Almunajem Foods does not separately disclose revenue from poultry products. The company owns Doux and Dari frozen chicken. In its Q2 investor presentation, the company said Doux commands a 26.9% market share of the whole frozen chicken market in the retail sector, ranking second in the market.

Poultry Prices in Gulf Markets

A comparison with Gulf markets places the Saudi market in the mid-range in terms of pricing. The average price of a 900-gram chicken stood at around SAR 19.36 in August 2026, compared with SAR 21.41 in the UAE, while prices were lower in Oman and Bahrain.

Average Poultry Prices in Gulf Markets — SAR

August 2026 prices; average prices were calculated based on products offered in each market.

Table egg prices in the Saudi market recorded YoY increases ranging from 3.4% to 11.3% from January through June 2026, before turning lower by 4.7% in July.

The average price of a tray of eggs increased by around 5.6% during the first seven months of 2026, compared with the same period of the previous year.

During 2026, the price of a tray of eggs reached its highest level in February at SAR 19.78, before gradually declining to SAR 17.60 in July and then edging up to SAR 17.91 in August. Accordingly, the August price remained around 9.5% below the February peak and approximately 8.4% lower than the January price.

On a YoY basis, the price of a tray of eggs recorded its highest rate of increase in April 2026 at 11.3%, before the increase eased to 9.2% in May and 3.4% in June. Prices then turned lower, declining 4.7% in July and 2.7% in August compared with the corresponding periods of 2025.

GASTAT

The egg market also showed a wide range of prices among brands during August 2026. A tray of 30 eggs was priced at around SAR 25.95 under the Freshies brand, compared with SAR 20.75 at Rahima, representing a difference of nearly 25% between the highest and lowest prices recorded.

Commercial Egg Prices by Company in the Saudi Market — SAR

August 2026 prices

The remaining brands were generally priced between SAR 22 and SAR 25 per tray, reflecting differences in pricing levels among companies despite the products being relatively similar in size.

Argaam also monitored promotional offers at food retailers that reduced the price of a tray of eggs to around SAR 9, compared with an average of approximately SAR 19.1 during the first seven months of 2026, representing a decline of around 53% YoY.

Al Watania led the table egg market with a 19% market share, narrowly ahead of Rahima at 18.5%. Small farms operating without branded products accounted for a notable 16% of the market.

The presence of small farms at this level indicates that the egg market is more fragmented than the fresh poultry market, with sales not concentrated entirely among major brands. Local small-scale producers and retailers continue to play a role in supplying consumers.

Source: Entaj IPO Prospectus 2025

Egg Sales in H1 2026

According to disclosures by listed companies, table egg sales increased during H1 2026. Entaj sales rose 7% to SAR 35.7 million, while Naqi Farms’s sales were up to SAR 6.87 million, compared with SAR 1.99 million in H1 2025.

A comparison of Gulf markets shows that prices for a 30-egg tray ranged from SAR 17.77 in Kuwait to SAR 25.47 in Bahrain, representing a difference of nearly 43% between the lowest and highest prices recorded. Prices in Saudi Arabia ranged between SAR 20.75 and SAR 24.75 per tray.