Grove, a Saudi company specializing in the production and marketing of fresh agricultural products, announced the closing of its SAR 19 million ($5 million) seed funding round led by Outliers VC, in addition to the participation of Ibrahim bin Saidan’s sons Mohammed and Ahmed, Madarat Investment Company and a number of angel investors.
Founded in 2024 by Mohammed Bin Ghannam and Ayman Al-Fifi, Grove aims to build a leading brand in the agricultural products sector, based on qualitative partnerships with local farmers, to open direct sales channels with the end consumer through an integrated technology system that connects all stages of the supply chain in a single system.
The size of the local agricultural sector in the Kingdom is estimated at 118 billion riyals, while the volume of imports of vegetable products represents 40 billion riyals during 2025, as the reality of local production today reflects an operational gap between production standards and actual consumer needs, the effects of which have been directly reflected on households and the sector as a whole, as challenges such as: quality fluctuations, limited options, and speed of perishable, as a result of a supply chain designed over decades to enable the product to withstand longer storage and transportation periods.
This reality has led to the contingency of agricultural practices on short-term commercial motives imposed on the market by temporary networks of operators and intermediaries that are independent of the interest of both the farmer and the consumer. Methods such as early harvesting, exceeding pesticide prohibition periods and production volume were prioritized at the expense of quality, sustainability and nutritional value of the product, hindering the entry of local farmers and young entrepreneurs into the sector and preventing the development of the quality and stability of supply chains.
Today, Grove is building a better experience by enabling sales channels that value and reward quality. The agricultural marketing process begins at an early stage to align the production with the requirements of the market and the consumer’s needs according to clear quality and pricing standards, in order to achieve greater clarity for the farmer in planning, and to give the consumer greater quality and diversity. It also promotes transparency at every stage from production to delivery and reduces food waste within a more just and sustainable system. Repeat purchase rates among its customers reached up to 48% with a wastage rate of less than 5% in its products.
Mohammed Bin Ghannam, Co-Founder, comments:
“Throughout history, farms have been owned and managed by generations of families, creating an innate attachment and responsibility towards the land and society, and making farming a profession passed down from one generation to the next.
In recent decades, on-farm decision-making and supply chains have undergone operational shifts focused on immediate commercial return, leading to increased reliance on heavy pesticides and excessive water depletion with no real consideration of the long-term impact of these practices.
In a country like Saudi Arabia, where water scarcity and soil degradation are a reality, the effects of this approach are exacerbated by the absence of a long-term vision because the consequences will not be felt by those who take it, but by future generations.
We are working to revive the “son of the earth” mentality by empowering farmers and landowners with the knowledge, data, and tools that help them avoid harmful practices, rationalize the use of water resources, and maintain soil health.”
Ayman Al-Fifi, Co-Founder, added:
“My conviction to create Grove was founded on a personal experience as a father, when I noticed the real change in my children’s perception of fruits and vegetables when I started bringing them directly from the farm; a simple moment revealed to me that the proximity of food to its source and quality radically changes our relationship with food, and that every family and every child deserves this experience.
As I delved deeper into the sector, I realized that a large part of the challenge was not due to agriculture or farmers, but to operational models in the supply chain that were managed with logic that offered logistical efficiency and quick results at the expense of quality and continuity of production. As this approach has accumulated over time, the quality and nutritional value have gradually declined until we have reached the reality we see today.
It also realized that this reality is not changing through confrontation or discourse, but rather by building practical alternatives that prove themselves on the ground, leveraging the tools of the age to enable more coherent and coherent models. “Grove is this alternative that I am working to build, an integrated system that shows that providing better food can be a practical, feasible, and sustainable option, today and in the long term.”
Mohammed Al-Mushaiqih, Founder and General Partner of Outliers VC, said:
“Access to high-quality local agricultural products is a fundamental need linked to the health of individuals and the sustainability of society. What attracted us at Garouf was not the product itself, but the way Mohamed and Ayman thought about rebuilding the relationship between farms and the market. They combine expertise in the local Saudi realities with operational will to build an integrated supply chain that restores quality, brings the consumer closer to the source, and creates a balance that has long been absent in the sector.
This vision positions Grove beyond being an agricultural products company, to become a pivotal element in shaping a healthier and more sustainable food system in the Kingdom. We are proud to support this journey from its earliest stages, and to partner with the team in building a model that can make a real long-lasting impact.”
