Nouran Ezzeldin
Founder & CEO
Granos Oros for Agribusiness Solutions and Export
With freight, FX and policy still in flux, importer Nouran Ezzeldin sets out a practical playbook for keeping grain moving into Egypt and North Africa.
Granos Oros for Agribusiness Solutions and Export connects trusted suppliers to customers and keeps cargo moving. As Founder & CEO, Nouran Ezzeldin leads strategy, supplier partnerships and risk management across wheat, corn, soybeans, sunflower/soybean meal and vegetable oils, serving Egypt, Libya (via Tripoli) and North Africa. Sourcing spans the Black Sea, South America and Europe.
For 2025/26, her priorities are clear. First, origin diversification—balancing long-standing Black Sea flows with South American and European supply to limit concentration risk. Second, timing and coverage—securing volumes ahead of expected volatility in freight and FX. Third, quality alignment—ensuring specifications fit mill and feed requirements to avoid downstream cost and delay.
The risk map is straightforward. FX exposure and payment terms are central: workable structures with suppliers and banks determine whether a shipment is executable, not just attractive on paper. Next is freight and logistics volatility, including congestion and cost swings on Black Sea–Med and Atlantic–Med lanes. Third, supply and policy shifts—export restrictions, quotas or sudden interventions at origin that can change availability at short notice.
Mitigation is practical. On financing, the focus is on enhancing payment terms with suppliers and maintaining strong bank relationships. On freight, the team adjusts vessel sizes, splits cargoes where needed, and uses containers when bulk space is tight. On supply and policy, they keep alternative origins active and track changes closely to switch early.
Execution rests on logistics detail. Main entry points are Alexandria and Damietta in Egypt and Tripoli in Libya. Freight risk is managed by staggering shipments, pre-clearing documentation and setting realistic laycans to reduce demurrage. When freight spikes, parcel strategy changes first—smaller lifts, a different vessel class or adjusted discharge plans—to protect schedules.
Pricing decisions are informed by CBOT and MATIF. Futures, swaps and basis levels guide timing and coverage, while forward supplier contracts anchor supply. The emphasis is on structure over opinion: set baseline cover, then add exposure only where it reduces real risk.
Supplier selection is intentionally tight. Granos Oros works with a focused group of trusted suppliers, with performance, transparency and GAFTA/FOSFA compliance as non-negotiables. Reliability and problem-solving during disruption are valued above headline price.
A recent example: when freight rates surged and FX delays added pressure, the company restructured a wheat programme into smaller European parcels and pre-cleared documents. Waiting time at discharge was minimised and mills received uninterrupted supply—not by chasing a perfect price, but by designing a plan that could withstand constraints.
Policy and compliance underpin the operation. Imports are shaped by phytosanitary rules, residue limits and banking regulations. While industry-wide digital, standardised documentation would reduce clearance time and cost, the team standardises checklists early and clarifies who owns any incremental compliance risk—part of navigating regulatory frameworks efficiently.
*This article is published as part of Miller Magazine’s media partnership with Global Grain Geneva 2025, organized by Fastmarkets.
*Nouran Ezzeldin is the Founder & CEO of Granos Oros for Agribusiness Solutions and Export, a company dedicated to connecting trusted global suppliers to customers in Egypt, Libya and North Africa.