Why this Abu Dhabi Prince is looking at India to launch his energy drink Moto

At Ritz Carlton Bengaluru, His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, launched Moto, a UAE made energy drink by his F&B company – Foodco Food Trading.

His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, from the Al Nayan family of Abu Dhabi, UAE visited India first time to launch Moto, the energy drink of his company Foodco Food Trading, in Bengaluru. In September last year, the family and the group CEO Saif Al Kaabi, launched the product in Delhi.

Sitting in the plush lounge of Ritz Carlton, His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, tells me it is his first time in the country. “Currently, I have just come for the launch of Moto. But I hope to come back soon and explore more of this beautiful country,” says His Highness in an exclusive chat with YourStory. 

Quiet and unassuming, the prince is focused on ensuring that the product launch goes smooth.

“He is actually quiet and doesn’t like to talk much, and prefers his work to do the talking,” explains Dinesh Nambiar, the Head of Sales and Marketing Foodco Food Trading. When the Abu Dhabi royal family were looking for opportunities to diversify their various sources of revenue, they decided to focus on - food and beverages and lifestyle.

“Oil cannot be UAE's only source of income. The land in fact has diverse strengths, which need to be showcased to the world. Businesses have the capacity to reach out across geographies and jurisdictions,” explains His Highness.

Tight-lipped about the kind of investments made, the team however informs that they are looking at building a strong distribution network before venturing into the investments and e-marketing initiatives.

Currently, Foodco has a manufacturing unit in UAE, as their focus is to make products from UAE and launch them at different parts of the country and world. They are already present in 33 countries across the globe.

Made of vitamins, caffeine and sugar, Moto competes with the likes of Red Bull. The target audience of the drink is the younger generation. A 250 ml bottle is priced at Rs 110.

Saif explains that UAE has always had a good relationship with India. Any initiative we launch, we definitely look at India as a strong market. Currently, Moto is looking to build a strong network, the team claims to have already partnered with close to 90 distribution partners.

Royal families from the Middle East have taken a keen interest in India. Earlier this year, the Princess of Sharjah invested in Mumbai based food startup – Wegan Foods. The food and beverage market is worth $13.56 billion, according to IBEF, and is growing at 17 percent every year.

“We are passionate about Moto. Moto for us is motivation. We aren’t just people who work together, we are one family. Everyone I hope to visit and meet is going to be a part of the Moto family,” explains His Highness.