Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector continues to attract global e commerce operators. This week, iHerb formally opened a new fulfillment center in Riyadh, marking a further step in the company’s international expansion and its investment in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Located within the Special Integrated Logistics Zone on 105th Street in Riyadh, the 40,000 square metre facility is designed to improve delivery times and local inventory management for customers across Saudi Arabia and neighbouring markets. The site is operated by CJ Logistics, iHerb’s long standing third party logistics partner.
Strengthening local fulfillment
The Riyadh facility is equipped with climate controlled systems and operates under cGMP compliant standards to maintain product quality across storage and distribution. According to the company, the new center will enable faster delivery, broader local assortment, and reduced shipping costs for customers in the Kingdom and across the wider MENA region.
As operations scale, iHerb intends to localise more inventory within Saudi Arabia rather than relying solely on cross border shipping. The move reflects a broader shift among international retailers towards regional fulfilment infrastructure to meet rising expectations around delivery speed.
“Opening a fulfillment center in Riyadh marks an important step in expanding our global footprint and deepening our presence in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East,” said Emun Zabihi, Chief Executive Officer of iHerb. “This investment allows us to bring products closer to our customers, improve delivery speed, and expand local availability while continuing to deliver the high-quality experience iHerb is known for worldwide.”
A logistics partnership with scale
The Riyadh center continues iHerb’s partnership with CJ Logistics, which dates back to 2018 when the logistics provider supported the launch of iHerb’s first international fulfillment center in Incheon, South Korea. That facility remains operational under CJ Logistics’ management.
The new Saudi site incorporates automated systems including multi shuttle racking and zone to zone picking, designed to manage storage, inventory control, and packaging at scale.
“The launch of our Riyadh fulfillment center represents a strategic advancement of our global supply chain,” said Zach Thomann, Chief Operating Officer of iHerb. “By working with companies like CJ Logistics, we are leveraging proven operational expertise to ensure consistent service quality, faster fulfillment, and the flexibility required to support continued growth across the region.”
Positioning within Vision 2030
The opening also reflects Saudi Arabia’s push to establish itself as a regional logistics and e commerce hub under Vision 2030. The Special Integrated Logistics Zone, supported by Riyadh Integrated, has been designed to attract multinational operators seeking regional distribution bases.
Juan Robledo, General Manager of MENA for iHerb, pointed to demographic and consumer trends shaping the company’s strategy.
“The Middle East and North Africa region represents one of the most dynamic and fast-growing consumer markets globally, driven by a young, digitally engaged population with increasing purchasing power and a strong focus on health and wellness,” he said. “By establishing a fulfillment center in Riyadh, we are better positioned to serve customers with faster delivery, a wider product selection, and a more localized experience that reflects the needs and expectations of consumers across the region.”
Part of a wider network
The Riyadh facility joins iHerb’s global network of nine climate controlled logistics centers, including six in the United States and international locations in Hong Kong, Incheon, and now Saudi Arabia. All centers operate under cGMP or ISO certification standards.
Founded in 1996 and headquartered in California, iHerb serves 15 million customers across 180 countries. The Riyadh opening signals a deeper integration into regional supply chains at a time when demand for health and wellness products across the Gulf continues to grow.
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