From Yemeni Roots to Global Impact, Beyond Borders
As principal partners for the Arab Conference at Harvard 2026, HSA Group brings a story that goes beyond business: one rooted in Yemeni identity, resilience, and long-term impact.
Founded in 1938 by four brothers operating a small retail shop in Aden, HSA Group has grown into one of the largest multinational conglomerates based in the Middle East, employing over 35,000 people and operating enterprises across more than 40 markets in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Across its core markets in the Middle East and beyond, HSA Group is a leading importer and distributor of food, household goods, and essential commodities, playing a critical role in supporting supply chains and strengthening food security and livelihoods. Yet what makes this growth remarkable is not just its scale, but its foundation. From the very beginning, the Group’s expansion was shaped by the entrepreneurial spirit embedded in Yemeni commercial culture.
At the core of HSA Group’s journey is a philosophy that has remained unchanged for nearly nine decades: a belief in doing well by doing good. This principle is not symbolic; it is operational. It informs how the company builds partnerships, allocates resources, and engages with the communities it serves. As the Group expanded globally, these values were not replaced, but strengthened through more structured leadership, professionalized governance, and a long-term commitment to sustainable development.
Despite becoming a global enterprise, HSA Group has remained deeply rooted in Yemen. It continues to be the country’s largest private employer and has maintained operations even through a decade of conflict, reflecting a long-term commitment to both its people and its origins. Instead of replicating the same model everywhere, HSA Group builds within each market, grounding its operations, partnerships, and supply chains in local realities.
As part of its footprint across the Middle East and Africa, HSA Group produces Egypt’s leading cooking oil brand, operates one of the largest biscuits and snacks manufacturers in the GCC, and is among the region’s largest corrugated carton producers. The Group runs cooking oil manufacturing and refining facilities across Egypt, East Africa, Malaysia, and Indonesia, supplying well-known brands globally. Its food, beverage, and household brands, including Abu Walad, Crystal, Teashop, Albatal chips, and Luna, are used daily by millions in the region.
Perhaps the most defining aspect of HSA Group is how it operates in moments of crisis. When conflict erupted in Yemen in 2015, many organizations chose to withdraw. HSA Group did the opposite, continuing operations to sustain access to essential goods and support the communities it serves. This same values-driven approach has guided its response to global challenges, from coordinating efforts during COVID-19 to supporting humanitarian initiatives in regions affected by conflict and disaster.
In recent years, the Group has also evolved its approach to impact, moving beyond traditional philanthropy toward long-term economic development. Through initiatives focused on job creation, investment, and strengthening local value chains, HSA Group demonstrates how private sector actors can play a critical role in building resilience and reducing dependency on aid. This shift is reflected in a new generation of initiatives led by the Group’s Economic Development Initiatives (EDI), including the Social Innovation Lab, a 5-year program implemented in partnership with the European Union, to mobilize thousands of Yemeni youth and entrepreneurs in solving critical sector challenges, as well as the School Milk Initiative, developed with Tetra Pak and supported by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), which has generated evidence-based research on improving child nutrition and cognition in fragile contexts.
HSA Group’s story challenges conventional ideas of what business can and should be. It shows that it is possible to scale globally without losing cultural identity, to remain committed to community in times of uncertainty, and to align commercial success with meaningful impact. As the global order shifts and traditional aid models face constraints, the private sector plays an increasingly critical role in building resilient economies and communities. In many ways, this reflects the spirit of this year’s conference: honoring our past while shaping our future. As a partner of the Arab Conference at Harvard, HSA Group represents a model of leadership that is both globally ambitious and deeply rooted in purpose.
