Saudi woman Hafiza Al-Suwaidi's journey with the production of natural essential oils 16 years ago. Initially, her work was entirely manual, from picking Taif rosesto distilling and extracting the oils—a labor-intensive process. However, her passion and love for this work drove her to master it and expand her operations, ultimately leading her to establish a distinctive brand in the world of cosmetics and natural essential oils through her luxurious products.
Hafiza Al-Suwaidi recounts her success story and rise to prominence in essential oil production, explaining that the turning point came when she heard about the "Reef Saudi Arabia" program and its support for such promising projects. The program provided her with invaluable support in terms of guidance, mentorship, and training, enabling her to launch her business.
Rose distillation
I started by purchasing modern equipment for distilling roses and producing oils and perfumes. The "Reef Saudi Arabia" program continued to support me, and I expanded my operations with them, purchasing additional equipment. I began adding other rose-based products, such as soaps, perfumes, and skin scrubs, and my products started to gain wider recognition.
She adds, "The program's support for my project and their encouragement never ceased with every success I achieved. They always pushed me to achieve even greater successes, until the project grew, and I began exporting my products outside the Kingdom, for example to Dubai, Oman, and other countries."
First Saudi woman to distill rose oil
Al-Suwaidi stated that her success wasn't limited to the fame of her products; the program's support also enabled her to become the first Saudi woman to distill Taif roses. She conducts training both within the Kingdom and abroad, and holds a certificate from UNESCO, as well as certificates from several other organizations where she trains.
It's worth noting that the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program, "Reef Saudi Arabia," is making continuous efforts to support the rose sector by improving agricultural practices in Taif rose-producing regions, providing support and modern technologies to farmers to increase production efficiency, and offering demonstration plots that reflect the program's ongoing efforts to contribute to increased production and economic returns, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
