The Atoll Group is expanding its foreign direct investment (FDI) footprint in Brunei with the recent launch of Mantap—a new line of locally made sauces and condiments now stocked in over 100 retail outlets nationwide.
The group’s latest venture, Atoll Agro, officially debuted Mantap in February with a launch ceremony at its factory within the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism’s Brunei Agriculture Research Centre, located in the Kilanas Agricultural Development Area (KKP).
With a single-line production setup, Atoll Agro is capable of producing up to two tonnes of sauces and condiments daily.
The brand is positioning itself to compete with imports—the primary source of sauces and condiments in Brunei—with competitive pricing, while also meeting Brunei’s halal certification and international food safety standards, including HACCP, GMP, and ISO 22000 from the outset.
The launch of Mantap marks Atoll’s second operation in the Sultanate, following the establishment of Atoll Oxygen in Belait in 2011, which has since grown into one of Brunei’s leading suppliers of industrial and medical gases.
Behind the headlines of Mantap’s February launch lies a venture nearly two years in the making.
We sat down with founder Ankit Jayantibhai Patel and his Technical Director Rajendrasinh A. Jadav to discuss the journey behind Atoll’s latest investment—and how the group is keen to align its growth with Brunei’s wider economic diversification agenda.
Q: After nearly 15 years of building Atoll Oxygen into a leading producer and supplier of industrial and medical gases, what led you to venture into food manufacturing?
Rajendrasinh: During the COVID-19 pandemic, food security became a global concern. Several countries imposed export restrictions, which underscored the importance of local self-sufficiency. In Brunei, the government also recognised the need to ensure that essential food supplies could be produced domestically.
That’s when we began engaging with the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism and the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB). As we were exploring ways to diversify our operations, food processing was identified as a sector with strong potential.
Through these agencies, we also learned more about Brunei’s economic diversification agenda—particularly the focus on five priority sectors: downstream oil and gas, food, services, tourism, and ICT. From there, we saw not just market opportunities, but also the support mechanisms in place for investors.
By producing sauces and condiments locally under the Mantap brand, we aim to support import substitution. If demand grows, we can help reduce Brunei’s reliance on imported condiments while building domestic manufacturing capacity.
At the same time, we see regional potential. Our target is to supply 60% of our production to the local market and export the remaining 40%, with ASEAN and the Middle East as our main targets.
Q: As a foreign direct investor from India, what opportunities does Brunei offer?
Ankit: There are two key factors that give us confidence in Brunei as an investment destination. First are the long-standing advantages that initially led my father to establish Atoll Oxygen here in 2011. Second is the renewed momentum in Brunei–India relations, which has opened up even more opportunities.
My father, Jayantibhai P Patel, first visited Brunei while on a business trip from Singapore. Brunei’s stability, comfortable and peaceful environment, and tax advantages made this a suitable destination for building a long-term operation.
When we incorporated Atoll Oxygen in 2011, we were one of the first manufacturers in Brunei producing medical and industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and ultra-high-purity gases. Today, nearly 80% of our staff are Bruneian, and we aim to match this localisation over time at Atoll Agro as well.
The second factor is the recent strengthening of Brunei–India ties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brunei last September marked a significant milestone, and we’ve seen a series of positive follow-ups.
In November, direct flights between Brunei and India resumed, and we participated in BEDB’s investment seminar in Chennai as part of the Brunei–India Business Exchange Mission.
It was a highly productive platform that helped deepen our understanding of the bilateral economic potential between both countries. We connected with key stakeholders and decision-makers, and the collaborative spirit we witnessed gave us confidence in Brunei’s long-term outlook.
From the perspective of an Indian investor, Brunei offers a strategic opportunity to establish a base within ASEAN, while also being well-positioned between India and China. Despite its smaller market size, Brunei benefits from strong regional connectivity and access to multiple free trade agreements—making it a competitive hub for exports.
Q: Circling back to Atoll Agro—what’s next for the factory and Mantap?
Rajendrasinh: Locally, our long-term target is to reach 400 retail outlets across Brunei through our distribution network. Regionally, we’re working closely with MPRT and BEDB to begin exporting to ASEAN markets within this year.
At present, our facility operates on a single-line production system—meaning we produce one product at a time, from preparation to final output, before switching over to the next product. This allows us to maintain high standards of hygiene, consistency, and quality. For any of our sauces or condiments, our current capacity is 250 kilogrammes per hour.
We currently offer seven products under the Mantap brand: tomato ketchup, chili sauce, soya sauce, eggless mayonnaise, cheese dressing, thousand island dressing, and Korean ssamjang.
Our facility also includes a cold storage system to maintain the freshness of raw materials, a dedicated lab for in-house food safety and quality testing, and a reverse osmosis (RO) water plant to ensure water purity in our manufacturing processes.
Collectively, these capabilities help us meet stringent standards—we are certified for Halal, HACCP, GMP, and ISO 22000. These certifications are critical for market access, especially in export markets, and give confidence not just to regulators but also to distributors and end consumers. More importantly, they ensure we deliver not only safe products, but also consistent taste and quality.
