UAE-based conglomerate GMG and Silal, part of the sovereign wealth fund ADQ, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to link consumers directly with farmers thereby diversifying locally grown organic food range in UAE supermarkets.
Through this agreement, GMG Consumer Goods division’s food retail portfolio will support local farmers (up to 1,100 farms) contracted with Silal to promote farm-to-table consumerism.
The new partnership, signed at the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition, will accelerate GMG’s long-term vision to source 30 per cent of fresh, organic and locally grown produce.
The first phase will cover over 30 product categories, and will initially be available at Geant supermarkets. When the time is ripe, more food categories will become available in other retail brands under GMG, including Monoprix and Franprix,
Deputy chairman and CEO of GMG, Mohammad A Baker, said: “As a homegrown corporate venture, we have a responsibility to advance the local business ecosystem.
“We already partner with numerous local enterprises, bringing their products to millions of customers through our diversified retail network. The partnership with Silal enables us to support a critical pillar of the country’s socio-economic growth while contributing to key national objectives and allows us to fulfil our farm-to-fork vision.”
In the coming years, GMG company intends to cover the entire food consumption chain from farm to fork.
President of retail and consumer goods at GMG, Marc Laurent, said: “We constantly thrive to collaborate with like-minded peers to bring locally sourced fresh produce to our customers. Our collaboration with Silal will further help us strengthen our food retail portfolio’s (Géant, Monoprix and Franprix) positioning in the market and at the same time raise awareness about the importance of consuming fresh produce sourced from local farms.”
Sourcing food locally bolsters GMG’s sustainability strategy to support organic agriculture. Eliminating the long journeys involved in food imports helps promote eco-friendly food production while contributing to UAE’s green agenda.
In addition, the partnership aligns with GMG’s objective to secure 150 SMEs partners in the UAE.
In April, GMG acquired Geant’s 18 UAE stores and the rights to their operations.
