DAL Group
Corporate brand
UnclaimedDAL Group is a privately held Sudanese conglomerate active in engineering, agriculture, food, automotive, development, education, healthcare distribution and other sectors.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
DAL Group is a privately held Sudanese conglomerate and one of the country's largest private business groups. Its activities span food production, agricultural machinery and services, automotive distribution, engineering, property development, education, industrial gases, healthcare distribution and mining-related operations. The group operates through a portfolio of businesses using the DAL name as well as established international and local brands. The group's origins lie in Sayer & Colley, an engineering company established in Sudan in 1951 by two British partners during the period of Anglo-Egyptian administration. Sayer & Colley subsequently obtained the Caterpillar franchise for Sudan. In 1966, after Sudanese independence, the Caterpillar franchise was transferred to the Sudanese Tractor Company, commonly known as SUTRAC, which was owned by Daoud Abdellatif; Sayer & Colley retained a minority interest. Both businesses were nationalized in 1970 and later denationalized in 1971, while the Sudanese government continued to hold minority interests for a period. Osama Daoud Abdellatif, the eldest son of Daoud Abdellatif, joined SUTRAC in 1975 and became its sales manager in 1978. In 1979, after the government interest had been bought out, he persuaded his father to acquire Sayer & Colley's remaining interest. Osama Daoud Abdellatif became chief executive of SUTRAC in the same year, while his father was ill. He later renamed the engineering business DAL Engineering, using the initials of his father's name, and established DAL Agriculture in 1984. These businesses formed the foundation of the wider DAL Group. DAL's food activities are centered on DAL Food and its Sayga flour and food businesses. The group also produces and distributes Coca-Cola products in Sudan, beginning in 2002, and operates a gum-arabic processing facility for export. Its agricultural activities include machinery, engineering support and dairy production. DAL Dairy Factory operates a dairy farm and has worked with USAID on a school-milk program for children in impoverished communities in Sudan's Red Sea state. In automotive distribution, DAL Motors has represented several international manufacturers in Sudan, including Mitsubishi from 1994 and Mercedes-Benz from 2006, as well as Kia. The group has also pursued major real-estate and infrastructure development. Its Al Mogran Development partnership with the National Social Insurance Fund and Khartoum State was planned as a large mixed-use project at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, with a central business district followed by residential development. The project was halted in 2007 after the project's management company was placed on a United States sanctions list because of its alleged connection to the Sudanese government. A later hospitality proposal involving Emirates Stallions Group was announced for part of the Al Morgan site. DAL Group has also participated in education through the Khartoum International Community School, founded in 2004, and has maintained activities in healthcare distribution, industrial gases and other commercial fields. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group supplied sanitization booths to Sudan's Ministry of Health in Khartoum. Its scale and involvement in essential goods have also made it part of public debate over flour subsidies and the structure of Sudan's food markets. The group remains closely associated with Sudan's private-sector economy, although the country's political instability and armed conflict create significant operational and investment risks.
History
DAL Group's history begins with Sayer & Colley, an engineering company founded in Sudan in 1951 by two British partners. The company eventually became Caterpillar's franchise holder in Sudan, establishing an early connection with heavy equipment, engineering services and agricultural mechanization. In 1966, ten years after Sudanese independence, Caterpillar transferred its Sudanese franchise to the Sudanese Tractor Company, or SUTRAC, owned by Daoud Abdellatif. Sayer & Colley retained a minority share. Both SUTRAC and Sayer & Colley were nationalized in 1970 and denationalized in 1971, although the government kept a minority interest in each business for a time. Daoud Abdellatif's eldest son, Osama Daoud Abdellatif, joined SUTRAC in 1975. He became sales manager in 1978 and took over as chief executive in 1979, after the government shareholding had been bought out and after he had encouraged his father to acquire Sayer & Colley's remaining interest. Osama later renamed the engineering company DAL Engineering, taking DAL from his father's initials. DAL Agriculture followed in 1984, providing machinery and technical services to Sudanese farmers. The expansion of these companies into additional sectors produced the modern DAL Group structure. The group subsequently developed a substantial food business. DAL Food became the group's largest operation by business volume and operates flour mills under the Sayga brand. It also began producing and distributing Coca-Cola products in Sudan in 2002. Other food-related activities include gum-arabic processing for export and dairy production. DAL Dairy Factory operates a dairy farm and has cooperated with USAID on a school-milk initiative serving disadvantaged children in Red Sea state. DAL expanded its automotive interests through DAL Motors, which holds or has held Sudanese franchises for Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz and Kia. Mitsubishi representation began in 1994 and Mercedes-Benz representation in 2006. Beyond distribution and manufacturing-related services, the group entered property development through the Al Mogran Development, a proposed large-scale project in central Khartoum near the meeting point of the Blue and White Nile. The project was developed with the National Social Insurance Fund and Khartoum State and was planned in two broad phases: a central business district followed by approximately 1,500 acres of residential space. Al Mogran development was interrupted in 2007 amid the conflict and sanctions environment surrounding Sudan. The United States placed Al Sunut Development, the project management company, on an Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions list because of its connection to the Sudanese government. A later proposal announced in 2021 involved Emirates Stallions Group and DAL Group developing a hotel and residences within the Al Morgan area. DAL's diversification also reached education, healthcare distribution, industrial gases and mining-related activities. The group founded the Khartoum International Community School in 2004. During the COVID-19 pandemic it provided sanitization booths to Sudan's Ministry of Health in Khartoum. The group has also participated in agricultural investment and food-security initiatives, including a 2020 agreement with the African Development Bank and a separate farmland-development plan with IHC Food Holding. DAL's role in flour production and imports has attracted criticism in Sudan because of government subsidies affecting companies in the sector. The subsidies have been presented as a mechanism to keep flour and related consumer prices lower, but the issue reflects wider concerns about market access, state support and the role of large private companies in essential-goods supply. DAL's operations continue to be shaped by Sudan's economic conditions, political instability and armed conflict.
- 2021
Al Morgan hospitality proposal
[1]Emirates Stallions Group announces a hotel and residential development within the Al Morgan project in partnership with DAL Group.
- 2020
African Development Bank food-security agreement
[1]DAL Group signs an agreement with the African Development Bank to support food security and agricultural employment in Sudan.
- 2020
Abu Hamad farmland investment plan
[1]DAL Group and IHC Food Holding announce a plan to develop farmland in Abu Hamad.
- 2019
DAL Motors is delisted from the UN Global Compact
[1]DAL Motors is removed from the participant list after failing to provide its required annual progress report.
- 2007
Al Mogran development is halted
[1]The Al Mogran project stops amid sanctions involving its management company and the wider political situation in Sudan.
- 2006
DAL Motors begins Mercedes-Benz representation
[1]DAL Motors adds Mercedes-Benz to its Sudanese automotive franchise portfolio.
- 2004
Khartoum International Community School is founded
[1]DAL establishes the Khartoum International Community School, expanding its activities into education.
- 2002
Coca-Cola production and distribution begin
[1]DAL begins producing and distributing Coca-Cola products for the Sudanese market.
- 1994
DAL Motors begins Mitsubishi representation
[1]DAL Motors takes on Mitsubishi automotive representation in Sudan.
- 1984
DAL Agriculture is established
[1]The group creates DAL Agriculture to provide farm machinery and engineering services to Sudanese farmers.
Products and positioning
A diversified Sudanese private-sector conglomerate with a strong presence in essential goods, agricultural productivity, industrial distribution and large-scale development.
Flour and food products
Sayga
Sayga is the principal flour and food brand associated with DAL Food. Its operations include flour milling and distribution for the Sudanese market, placing the brand within the group's food-security and essential-consumer-goods activities.
Agricultural machinery and engineering · 1984
DAL Agriculture
DAL Agriculture supplies machinery and engineering services to Sudanese farmers. It represents the group's longstanding focus on agricultural mechanization and provides technical support intended to improve farming productivity.
Automotive distribution
DAL Motors
DAL Motors manages automotive franchise and distribution activities in Sudan. Its documented portfolio has included Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz and Kia, covering passenger vehicles and other automotive products and services.
Beverages · 2002
Coca-Cola Sudan operations
DAL Food has produced and distributed Coca-Cola products for the Sudanese market since 2002, making branded soft drinks one of the group's major consumer-facing activities.
Dairy
DAL Dairy Factory
DAL Dairy Factory operates a dairy farm and participates in dairy-related production. It has also worked with USAID on a school-milk initiative intended to provide milk to impoverished children in Sudan's Red Sea state.
Controversies
Public criticism over flour subsidies
DAL and other companies involved in flour production and imports have faced criticism in Sudan over government subsidies. The subsidies are intended to keep prices lower for consumers and manufacturers, while critics have questioned their distribution and market effects.
Marketing campaigns
- COVID-19 sanitization support
Sudan
During the COVID-19 pandemic, DAL provided sanitization booths to the Ministry of Health in Khartoum as part of the public-health response.
Outcome. The documented contribution supported local pandemic-response infrastructure; broader campaign results are not specified.
- Red Sea school-milk program
Red Sea State, Sudan
DAL Dairy Factory cooperated with USAID on a program supplying milk to impoverished school children in Sudan's Red Sea state.
Outcome. The program was intended to improve access to milk among disadvantaged schoolchildren; quantified results are not specified.
Brand decisions
2021
Al Morgan hospitality development partnershipOtherBackground
The earlier Al Mogran development had been interrupted, but later partners sought to restart or extend activity at the site through hospitality development.
Action taken
Emirates Stallions Group announced a hotel and residential project in partnership with DAL Group.
Aftermath
The proposal was described as a 16-floor hotel and residences project. The available material does not confirm completion.
Announced project value. $65.3 million (2021)
2020
Food-security and agricultural investment agreementStrategyBackground
DAL Group pursued expanded agricultural production and employment as part of Sudan's food-security needs.
Action taken
The group signed an agreement with the African Development Bank providing for financing of up to $75 million.
Aftermath
The agreement was intended to improve food security and create agricultural jobs. The available reference does not establish the final amount drawn or the completed results.
Potential financing. $75 million (2020)
2020
Abu Hamad farmland development planStrategyBackground
DAL sought to expand agricultural production through large-scale farmland development in Abu Hamad.
Action taken
DAL Group and IHC Food Holding agreed to invest over five years in the development of approximately 100,000 acres.
Aftermath
The plan was presented as an agricultural investment and food-production initiative; its final implementation status is not specified.
Planned investment. $225 million (Five-year plan announced in 2020)
Sources1 sources
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