The Zone : Edition 60

THE PUBLICATION FOR JEBEL ALI FREE ZONE | ISSUE 60 - FEBRUARY 2021

JAFZA PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE Securing the UAE’s Food Supply Value Chain, By Mohammed Al Muallem NESTLÉ The world’s largest F&B company, committed to unlocking the power of food SMART SOLUTIONS LOGISTICS Ideally placed to benefit from the world-class infrastructure JAFZA Enters into an agreement with Etihad Export Credit Insurance Company

WHERE THE WORLD COMES TO SHOP MR ASHRAF ALI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LULU GROUP INTERNATIONAL

‫اﻧﺘﺒﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺗﺠﺎوز اﻹﺷﺎرة اﻟﺤﻤﺮاء‬

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Contents

IN THIS ISSUE

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CARREFOUR CENTRAL KITCHEN TO OFFER SIGNATURE FLAVOURS ACROSS CARREFOUR STORES ASHRAF ALI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LULU GROUP INTERNATIONAL. WHERE THE WORLD COMES TO SHOP LEGAL BULLETIN, A GUIDE TO HALAL FOODS JAFZA PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN SECURING THE UAE’S FOOD SUPPLY VALUE CHAIN, BY MOHAMMED AL MUALLEM, CEO OF JAFZA DMCC, POSITIONING DUBAI AS THE WORLD’S LARGEST REEXPORTER OF TEA, AND AS A NEW GLOBAL HUB FOR THE COFFEE INDUSTRY GROWING CONSUMER DEMAND FOR HEALTHIER, MORE ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS, FOOD SPECIALITIES LIMITED IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS TREND

27 LANDMARK GROUP, MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE FUTURE OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION 28 UNILEVER IS WORKING HARD TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE 30 HUNTER FOODS, SERVING CUSTOMERS IN ALMOST 40 COUNTRIES AND ON SEVEN CONTINENTS 34 SMART SOLUTIONS LOGISTICS IS IDEALLY PLACED TO BENEFIT FROM THE WORLD-CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE WITH ALBERT KRAAK, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 40 NESTLÉ, THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANY, COMMITTED TO UNLOCKING THE POWER OF FOOD 47 F&B SPECIAL REPORT. JAFZA, A MAJOR GATEWAY FOR FOODSTUFFS, LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURE

Produced and printed on behalf of Jebel Ali Free Zone by

Editorial Manager

NOORA MOHAMED AL YOUSUF

The Zone

Content Coordinator & Writer

NOEL DAVID FRANCIS

Content Coordinator & Writer

ABDURRAHMAN MAHANNA

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Chairman's Welcome

FOOD & BEVERAGE

STRENGTHENING SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE IN FOOD SECURITY IS A STRATEGIC GOAL FOOD SECURITY IS AN AREA OF CONCERN NOW MORE THAN EVER, AS RECENT CHALLENGES HAVE SHIFTED THE FOCUS OF COUNTRIES TO AVAILABILITY, ACCESS, STABILITY AND UTILISATION OF THEIR INTERNAL FOOD SYSTEMS. STRENGTHENING THE UAE’S RESILIENCE IN FOOD SECURITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A KEY STRATEGIC GOAL FOR JAFZA, AND OUR RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH THE PANDEMIC AND THE LOCKDOWN HAS POSITIONED US BETTER TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGES HEAD-ON. In 2019, Jafza recorded a total trade growth of 24% in the food and agricultural segment versus 2018 and an increase of 7% in its customer base, reinforcing its status as a preferred destination for the food and agriculture businesses.

Despite the global pandemic, Dubai’s external food trade volumes reached nine million tonnes, valued at AED32 billion, while food imports were worth AED22 billion, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of strategies adopted under the UAE’s Food Security Policy.

With a dedicated space of 1.57 million sqm for its Food and Agriculture cluster, Jafza is home to over 550 companies from the sector, representing more than 70 countries, and employing over 6,000 people. Over 38% of these countries belong to the Middle East with other major chunks lying in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Over the years, at DP World, we have provisioned for the food and agricultural supply chain security with an out of the box approach by investing in new technologies, green initiatives and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) streams to further facilitate the uninterrupted flow of trade and distribution while maintaining the continuity of food supply to the UAE and the region.

In line with the UAE Sustainable Agriculture System, approved by the Federal Cabinet in June, DP World has further streamlined supply chain flows across its multimodal connectivity, reinforcing Dubai’s long-term commitment to maintain the growth and development of regional trade. Thanks to Jafza’s strategic location near Jebel Ali Port, we offer connectivity to over 3.5 billion consumers.

Looking back, we believe these investments made us future-ready. When presented with the challenges of Covid-19 earlier this year, we were able to ensure business continuity and support our customers with incentives to build their confidence with our advanced logistics digital platforms that enabled them to work from where they were.

Our new Smart Service initiatives, accessible online to customers, such as ‘E-Delivery Order’ introduced

by Dubai Trade, allow supply chain stakeholders to handle their complex import processes easily.

ZADI is another innovative unified food import platform launched to facilitate imports and the reexport of food shipments through Dubai’s ports.

The UAE Sustainable Agriculture System is aimed at increasing self-sufficiency in crops, increasing returns and investments in the sector. It has opened new opportunities for growth and expansion of all F&B companies in Jafza and other DP World Parks and Zones.

Together, Jafza and our partner companies play a pivotal role in this greater cause for food security that touches all humanity.

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The Zone

Chairman's Welcome

SULTAN AHMED BIN SULAYEM GROUP CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF DP WORLD AND CHAIRMAN OF PORTS, CUSTOMS AND FREE ZONE CORPORATION

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News

Central Kitchen to Offer Signature Flavours Across Carrefour Stores

THE NEW CARREFOUR CENTRAL KITCHEN HAS BEEN UNVEILED. IT WILL PREPARE AND SUPPLY CARREFOUR STORES THROUGHOUT THE UAE WITH CONSISTENT, HIGH QUALITY, READY-TO-EAT AND EASY-TO-COOK MEALS ALONGSIDE GRAB AND GO ITEMS, AND CHOPPED VEGETABLES. Spanning 7,000m2, the Central Kitchen is a state-of-the-art facility located at the Carrefour Regional Distribution Centre in Jafza. It is set to provide new and better food options while creating a taste unique to Carrefour, with a head chef regularly preparing and testing new recipes in a purposebuilt innovation kitchen. Once fully operational, customers will be able to choose from a selection of 40 meals per day across different cuisines.

With all food prepared in one centralised facility following Carrefour’s stringent hygiene standards, shoppers can trust the safety of the food served.

A Little Slice of Japan in Dubai SIMPLY OISHII, A RECENT ARRIVAL AT JAFZA, OPENED ITS SECOND BRANCH IN DUBAI IN NOVEMBER, IN FOOD COURT 1. A JAPANESE ORIENTED CAFÉ AND RESTAURANT, SIMPLY OISHII FOCUSES ON MAINTAINING THE AUTHENTICITY OF JAPANESE CULTURE IN NOT ONLY ITS DISHES BUT ALSO ITS DÉCOR. The restaurant takes pride in the fact that it uses only imported Japanese flour, ‘hakurikiko’, and bread flour, ‘kyorikiko’, for its baking. At the same time, in its hot cuisine section, it has been successful in developing an all-inclusive menu of sushi, maki, sashimi, ramen and bentos. Options of breakfast, coffee, lunch and an array of delectable pastries are available at equally attractive prices, both for dining in and takeaway.

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News

Joining Forces to Support UAE Businesses

JAFZA HAS ENTERED INTO A STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH ETIHAD EXPORT CREDIT INSURANCE COMPANY (ECI), THE UAE’S FEDERAL EXPORT CREDIT COMPANY, TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES, ADVANCE EXPORTS, AND DRIVE THE UAE ECONOMY DURING THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed virtually by Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region and CEO of Jafza, and Massimo Falcioni, CEO of ECI, and was witnessed by senior officials.

ECI has agreed to provide export insurance services to companies licensed by Jafza, which will help to drive the expansion and diversification of the UAE economy, as well as ease financial pressure. Jafza and ECI share a desire to solidify the UAE economy globally and strengthen its position as the preferred global hub for export.

The two entities will conduct seminars and workshops to inform members about the benefits of trade protection solutions, with a focus on trade credit insurance, surety bonding and trade finance solutions provided

by ECI. Together, they will also assist and sustain members who are exploring export opportunities, including providing country

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risk reports in international trade activities.

Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region and CEO of Jafza, underlined the importance of this strategic agreement, saying: “Our agreement with ECI is significant as it will help boost the export of UAE goods, works, services and the foreign investments of UAE companies. This move will increase cash flow, enable world trade and contribute towards long-term growth. We aim to provide support to companies licensed by Jafza and assist them to navigate these uncertain times.

Owing to the current economic climate due to the global pandemic, we believe that partnerships like these will reinforce business

relations and help us safeguard the interests of businesses and investors. Eventually, our ultimate goal is to ensure our customers’ success, and we hope this alliance will be a fruitful one as we continue to grow together to create a better future for everyone.”

Massimo Falcioni, CEO of ECI, added: “We are honoured to be able to assist local businesses via this strategic agreement. We are confident that our innovative products will enhance trade and ensure that the UAE remains a leader in the export market despite the current challenging global conditions.

ECI remains keen to boost diversification and ensure that the UAE economy thrives in a post-oil era, and our tailored solutions offer protection from risks and business continuity during such unprecedented times.”

ECI was established with a mandate to advance the global competitiveness of UAE exporters, supporting companies through its bespoke financial products, which guarantee the provision of protection and a competitive advantage in the international marketplace.

For one, ECI provides protection against non-payment from buyers who have gone insolvent, covering losses from clients that have failed to fulfil their payment obligations.

It also provides additional funding capacity through its strategic partnerships with local and international banks. These institutions will offer loans to UAE businesses, guaranteed by ECI, to secure the funding of the supply chain. Lastly, businesses can also take advantage of ECI’s global network of over 360 million companies worldwide, as it provides a list of suppliers across the globe that can open new markets as well as be potential customers and suppliers for its products and services.

MASSIMO FALCIONI, CEO OF ECI

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News

Mina Rashid Bags the Middle East’s and the World’s Leading Cruise Port Awards DP WORLD, UAE REGION’S MINA RASHID HAS WON TWO PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS (WTA) 2020: THE MIDDLE EAST’S LEADING CRUISE PORT AND THE WORLD’S LEADING CRUISE PORT, BOTH FOR THE 13TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR. A SIGNIFICANT ACCOLADE IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, THE AWARDS RECEIVED NOMINATIONS FROM CRUISE PORTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Mina Rashid’s proximity to Dubai International Airport and the heart of the city make it an ideal choice, as passengers can get easy access to key locales in the city. The port boasts a quay wall of 2.3km and can simultaneously handle seven mega-cruise vessels or 25,000 passengers in a single day.

Central to Mina Rashid’s stellar performance

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is its flagship Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, which is the world’s biggest single, covered cruise terminal facility.

The state-of-the-art terminal has the capacity to receive 14,000 passengers per day. Since its inauguration in 2014, the terminal witnessed a growth of 55%, receiving a high volume of cruise ships. In 2015, the terminal received four cruise ships carrying approximately 20,000 passengers and crew in a single day. Five cruise ships with around 24,000 travellers and crew visited on every weekend in 2017, during the peak season. The terminal achieved the feat of receiving six ships with around 35,000 passengers and crew in a single day in the 2019/20 season.

The team at Mina Rashid was thrilled to

receive these coveted awards and felt honoured to win the accolades in close correspondence with the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s 30th death anniversary. He not only laid the cornerstone for Mina Rashid but is quite literally the architect of Dubai. Mina Rashid takes pride in the fact that it has been able to carry on the legacy of the leadership and has consistently worked towards achieving their vision for the country. To ensure that the port maintains its leading position, Mina Rashid has continually been committed to its development, and its new endeavours are testimonies to that.

Mina Rashid is constantly undergoing expansion to enhance its capabilities in order to build a world-class recreational facility that symbolises Dubai’s rich cultural heritage.

The Zone

News

Key Products for the F&B Industry

Your Partner for Food Packaging

FIRST OPENING ITS DOORS FOR BUSINESS IN 1981, JASPA INTERNATIONAL TRADING EST. HAS EVOLVED TO BECOME ONE OF THE LEADING DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES WITHIN THE AUTOMOTIVE AND ELECTRICAL SECTORS. Situated in Jafza, the company offers a broad portfolio to a wide customer base, including a key product for the food and beverage (F&B) industry - BAF HVLS fans with clean air systems.

BAF Fans are manufactured in the US and are the leaders in HVLS fans. BAF’s cutting-edge clean air technology is proven to kill 99.99 % of SARS-COV-2 (causing Covid-19) and other airborne pathogens. These fans employ ION and UV-C technology to kill the viruses and pathogens to supply purified air, which is critical for the operation of the F&B industry.

Clean Air System’s certified ozone-free ionizers generate tens of thousands of ions per second, safely eliminating airborne and surface pathogens and resulting in fresher, cleaner conditions. In addition to disinfecting air and surfaces, the fans airflow improves occupant comfort, HVAC efficiency and energy saving, providing real benefits for business owners.

The JASPA team is proud of its industry knowledge. It provides technical guidance pre and post-sales to ensure the selection of the right products and the easy troubleshooting of any in-service issues.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FOOD PACKAGING IS THE KEY TO PROTECTING AND MAINTAINING FOOD. THIS IS ALSO THE MOST RELIABLE WAY TO CONTROL AND PROTECT FOOD AGAINST BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS. FROM SOLUTIONS FOR SINGLE AND DOUBLE-SIDED BAG RECLOSURE, TO BAG AND CANDY CUP SEALING, INNOVATIVE CARTON BOX CLOSURES, AND PALLETISING, TESA MIDDLE EAST PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF SOLUTIONS FOR THE GLOBAL PACKAGED CONSUMER GOODS INDUSTRY. A part of German company tesa SE, which has 125 years of experience in coating technology, development of adhesive masses and innovative product solutions, tesa Middle East offer a wide range of food packaging to match the needs of individual customers for both inner and outer packaging.

The innovative solutions of the company’s inner packaging prevent food from spoiling, making consumption easy and pleasant. These robust solutions also enable designs that help increase consumer brand engagement. This is achieved by allowing consumers to use the original packaging after opening the product - the inner packaging is just as critical as the outer packaging.

Convenient packaging solutions have been identified as a key factor in the consumer’s product selection process, so do not leave the packaging to chance!

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Cover Story

LuLu group international

Where the World Comes to Shop ASHRAF ALI, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LULU GROUP INTERNATIONAL, THE LARGEST RETAILER IN THE MENA REGION, SPEAKS TO THE ZONE ABOUT GROWTH AND EXPANSION, SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND HIS PASSION FOR THE GROUP AND ITS AMBITIONS. The Zone: What do you attribute the Lulu Group’ success to, and where is there an opportunity for growth?

Ashraf Ali: LuLu has been at the forefront of the retail industry since the 1990s, and today we have a global operation with 195 stores and sourcing operations in 22 countries. Apart from retail, we have ventured into multiple fields, such as hospitality, tourism, food sourcing and manufacturing.

We, at LuLu, have a vision to become the most preferred organisation in the retail and related sectors worldwide, and we can only achieve this through expanding our global presence and strengthening the pool of talented and diverse employees we have in order to service our multi-ethnic clientele.

Continuous innovation, sustainability and excellence in customer service have been the main pillars of our growth.

Our vision for the future is to strengthen our presence in existing markets further and explore opportunities in the MENA region to grow the store count rapidly. Apart from the physical presence, online shopping is going to be our next focus area, where we see vast potential.

The Zone: Why are you passionate about what you do?

Ali: Right after my education in India, I joined my elder brother, our Group’s Chairman, Mr Yusuff Ali M. A. in 1981, and ever since then this is the only business I have been involved with. So, in a way, I have grown up with the organisation and the retail industry.

I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time when the UAE was on the cusp of phenomenal growth. Back then, we had a very lean team which gave me much-

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needed experience in almost all aspects of the business. Shopping and retail is a very exciting and dynamic sector, and we, as a growing organisation, are always on the lookout for ways to innovate each process, which I am personally passionate about.

In short, new markets, new sectors and innovation geared towards serving more than 1.6 million shoppers a day is what keeps me going.

The Zone: The importance of sustainability and environmental awareness is unlikely to erode, particularly among younger consumers - health is the new wealth – so how will the Lulu Group continue to push back boundaries in this area of business?

Ali: Besides being well-known for our wide product range, we have been a proactive promoter of social initiatives, sustainability, health and wellness awareness, and environmental protection. We have been in partnership with both government entities and private charitable organisations for advocacies that benefit the welfare of the needy, not only in the Gulf region but across the world. CSR involvement is a core policy within the Group. It is our way of giving back to society. Whether it’s a campaign within the store premises or a third-party initiative, our hands are always wide open for a good cause. From energy-saving home appliances to advocating for educationthemed campaigns, support for people of determination, cancer awareness, and so much more, whether a big or a small project, LuLu has always been a strategic partner of concerned groups.

When we launched our reusable shopping bags three years ago, we were totally

overwhelmed with the great response we had from our loyal customer base; which is why we have planned to launch another set of jute bags, which will appeal to the younger market with its new design and messaging.

We have also introduced green checkout counters for shoppers’ to benefit from more convenient and faster transactions whenever they use reusable bags.

We make sure that our product range improves over time, depending on market demand, especially with regard to healthy foods. We have dedicated special sections in both our stores and e-commerce sites for healthy, diet-based, and free-from ranges for the convenience of our shoppers. This continues to progress with the expansion our hot food and deli categories, where we are infusing healthy ingredients into all-time favourites, such as immunity shots, grab and go sandwiches and salads, and even vegan selections.

The Zone: When did you first open a facility in Jafza, and why did you choose this location? What are the benefits?

Ali: We started operations in Jafza in 2015 to ensure faster and timely supply of goods to the UAE and overseas markets. The warehouse acts as a transit hub and imports from over 34 countries. Alongside the UAE market, we focus on exports to Oman, Bahrain, KSA, Kuwait and Egypt.

The Zone: What facilities do you have in Jafza, and how important are they to your operation?

Ali: The warehouse runs on a state-of-theart WMS system, which is integrated into SAP for improved efficiency and maintaining accurate stock keeping. It handles all warehousing needs, covering imports/

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Cover Story

“Serving more than 1.6 million shoppers a day is what keeps me going” The Zone

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Cover Story

Continuous innovation, sustainability and excellence in customer service have been the main pillars of our growth

storage/exports of Lulu’s fashion retail concept ‘REO’. Our team liaises continuously with the Dubai Customs and other local governing bodies to ensure our products meet all required standards and quality.

With a dedicated staff of more than 120, our warehouse handles over 20,000 SKU’s spread over a range of categories, including textiles, electrical/electronics, household, stationery/party and seasonal, IT products, footwear, home furnishing, luggage/bags/ accessories, toys, and outdoor/garden/ sports.

The Zone: Do you have any plans to expand or update the facilities in Jafza?

How do you see the Lulu Group evolving in Jafza over the next five years?

Ali: Obviously, with the kind of growth plan which we have chalked out we will surely have to expand our facilities in Jafza.

As we add new stores, new markets, new procurement centres and boost our online shopping business, we forecast additional capacity requirement to the tune of 50%

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of the current size. We are also working extensively with our logistics partners to enhance and update our systems and infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the international marketplace.

The Zone: How do you maximise the potential of your workforce?

Ali: Business is not just about money, products or services. It’s all about people.

I have always believed that the reason behind the LuLu Group’s success is its more than 55,000 employees. We empower our staff through continuous training, skill enhancement and diversifying business roles within the organisation for career advancement. Our staff is an integral part of our ecosystem, and we wouldn’t be enjoying the success we do without their passion and huge efforts in our daily operations. The biggest testimony to our human resource initiative is that our staff turnover ratio is less than 1%, the least in the Gulf region.

The Zone: The LuLu Group now has almost 200 hypermarkets in operation – why do you think the consumer has responded so positively to the company’s offer?

Ali: Over the years, the LuLu Group has been offering a brilliant combination of internationally sourced products, warm customer service, and the most competitive prices in the market - making us the ultimate one-stop-shop for lifestyle essentials.

These unique factors have brought us to this level of success, where our customers give us their utmost trust and loyalty in whatever we bring to the market, whether it’s something traditional or relevantly new.

One of the main reasons is we take pride in showcasing the diverse and rich heritage of different countries through both food and non-food products, which makes us truly where the world comes to shop. Our brand identity is not only evident in our product offerings, but also in our multi-national staff members.

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Cover Story

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hypermarkets

The Zone: What challenges has the Covid-19 pandemic thrown up, and how have you tackled them?

Ali: As the pandemic hit the region, LuLu launched a 360-degree campaign, ‘LuLu, where the world comes to shop, SAFELY!’ In an effort to give assurance on food security and safe shopping, LuLu has enhanced its logo with an important element featuring the word ‘SAFELY’, in both English and Arabic, which has been the focal point of all key messages used in all marketing and communication platforms at LuLu - from in-store branding to digital media channels, above-the-line advertising, and CSR initiatives.

All stores across the region have a unified protocol for safety measures, such as social distancing practice, thermal check, and entry of the elderly and children, in line with the government mandates of each respective country. This includes ensuring 100% safe shopping through deep cleaning and

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sanitisation as per government standards.

To highlight the heroic efforts of the country’s essential workers from the healthcare industry, LuLu introduced priority checkout counters and trolleys for a faster and more convenient shopping experience.

And to ensure an uninterrupted food supply for the residents of The UAE, LuLu has arranged flights to keep its stores wellstocked with essential products at the most affordable prices.

Moreover, due to the limitations brought by the pandemic for physically held events, LuLu spearheaded innovative ways to promote its festivals, store openings, and promotions in a safe way through online events and virtual inaugurations.

In the time of Covid-19 and lockdown, LuLu has played a very crucial role and ensured uninterrupted supply of food and non-food products while maintaining the highest standards of hygiene, health and safety of both its customers and employees.

55,000

employees Our goal is to reach 200 stores in the next six months The Zone: What are your targets and goals for the Group over the next year?

Ali: The Covid-19 pandemic has obviously brought about new thought processes and underlined a need to re-align our priorities, but one thing we are committed to is our growth plan. Not a single project has been shelved. In fact, we have inaugurated 11 stores this year alone. Our goal is to reach 200 stores in the next six months.

We have full faith and confidence in the visionary leadership of this great country.

We will continue to explore more business opportunities in line with our expansion plans and growth activities across our current scope and other territories.

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Legal Bulletin

A Guide to Halal Foods JEBEL ALI FREE ZONE (JAFZA) IS HOME TO OVER 550 COMPANIES FROM MORE THAN 70 COUNTRIES IN THE F&B SECTOR. SEVERAL MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES ARE BASED IN JEBEL ALI FREE ZONE (JAFZA) AND SERVE MORE THAN TWO AND HALF BILLION CONSUMERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND SOUTH AND EAST ASIA, AFRICA AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES. MORE THAN 38% ARE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST REGION, WITH HALAL-CERTIFIED FOOD PRODUCTS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE.

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The Zone

Legal Bulletin

Halal, at the present time, has turned out to be a universal conception that covers the entire concept of fresh, clean, and healthier production as well as services of food. The global halal food & beverage market size is expected to reach USD 739.59 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. WHAT IS HALAL? Halal is any object or action that is permissible to use or engage in according to Islamic law (Shariah). The term covers and designates food and drink as well as matters of daily life such as Pharma & Cosmetics, Media & Recreation, Fashion & Travel.

HALAL PRODUCTS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE HALAL WHEN THEY ARE MADE OF: • Animals slaughtered as per the Islamic principles.

• Free from a prohibited component such as pig meat or fat.

• Processed using allowed machinery.

HALAL PRODUCTS LEGISLATION IN UAE According to ministerial resolution no.

22/2004 regarding implementing regulation for the national accreditation system, Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) is authorised to manage and handle all the accreditations process and apply the terms & conditions stated therein.

Ministerial resolution no.10/2014 regarding the Emirati system for the control over halal products prescribed all the standard specifications, supervision of the facilities, slaughterhouses, National Mark Halal, controlling and market surveying and fines and penalties. ESMA board resolution no. 36/2014 regarding the accreditation regulation of National Mark Halal and licensing requirement.

NATIONAL MARK HALAL The national brand for halal was launched on 28/9/2015 and came within the UAE system requirements for the control of halal products, which is awarded to products conforming to the requirements of the Emirati control system for halal products.

HALAL ACCREDITATION IN UAE The Emirates Quality Mark (EQM) is a mark of conformity granted to products that can demonstrate compliance with the relevant UAE National Standards, Regional and/or International Standards and are manufactured by an organisation implementing an effective Quality Management System to ensure continuous compliance. The process of achieving the license to use the Emirates Quality Mark involves a comprehensive evaluation of the product as well as the quality system used by the manufacturer in production through testing and inspection.

APPLYING FOR ACCREDITATION CERTIFICATES: ECAS is a Product Certification Scheme being implemented by the (ESMA) as mandated by the Federal Law 28 of 2001.

APPLYING FOR ECAS AND EQM CERTIFICATES WILL BE THROUGH ONE OF THE INTERNATIONAL NOTIFIED BODIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK:

Food, cosmetics and personal care products and slaughterhouses are the sectors covered by the halal accreditation procedure in the United Arab Emirates. 50 halal brands were issued in the year 2019, while the number of halal products registered in the country reached 7665 after fulfilling the accreditation terms & conditions.

Manufactures of food products and food services providers are entitled to apply for the National Mark Halal Service Card through the ESMA Customers Happiness Centre or ESMA website.

SERVICE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT: • Valid UAE Industry/Trade License (or declaration or accountability).

• Halal Certificate from approved Halal Certification Body.

• Declaration of Compliance.

• Fees.

There will be an annual surveillance audit after issuance of the license to use the Halal National Mark by ESMA. HALAL ACCREDITATION ADVANTAGES • When companies obtain accreditation from a recognised international organisation it means for the consumer that the company’s products are produced with high quality, because the granting of a halal certificate has the maximum possible level of quality standards. This will give the company a competitive advantage compared to their competitors in the same field.

• Obtaining of the Halal National Mark and accreditations for commodities to sell onshore.

• Re-export the product according to the procedures followed in the country.

ESMA can assign the power of accreditation to the approved authority (Conformity authority) by obtaining a recognition from the international organisations concerned with the affairs of accreditation or signing a mutual recognition agreement with ESMA (Halal Section).

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Industry Opinion

Jafza Plays a Central Role in Securing the UAE’s Food Supply Value Chain By Mohammed Al Muallem WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC STRUCK WITHOUT MUCH WARNING EARLIER THIS YEAR, NATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD HAD NO IDEA OF HOW TO TACKLE THIS INVISIBLE BUT DISRUPTIVE ASSAULT ON GLOBAL SAFETY AND SECURITY.

Amid the chaos, one thing was quite clear: Safeguarding the safety and security of our people by securing the uninterrupted flow of food and medical supplies. That’s something DP World excels in as a global trade enabler. We did not anticipate Covid-19 but we were prepared to deal with the disruption it caused.

Since the onset of Covid-19, DP World, UAE Region has been committed to facilitating an uninterrupted flow of medical supplies and essential goods. The UAE’s leadership has provided unstinting support to enhance the country’s food security system, through the Emirates Food Security Council as the primary reference on the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy.

Illustrating Dubai’s role as a major gateway for global trade, the emirate’s external food trade volumes reached nine million tonnes in the first half of this year, representing AED32 billion in total, whereas Dubai’s food imports touched AED22 billion. This demonstrates how robust Dubai’s economy is despite the global Covid-19 pandemic and underpins the

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effectiveness of its food security strategies.

Jafza, with its deeply rooted food and agriculture sector, plays a central role in supporting the National Food Security Strategy’s primary goal of facilitating global food trade and diversifying import sources.

To ensure trade flow amid a deteriorating market, we work closely with the Dubai Food Security Committee, and have introduced a key digital initiative with a focus on prudent cost management, better productivity, asset utilisation and automation processes.

ZADI is a unified food import platform that aims at facilitating the import and re-export of food shipments throughout Dubai ports, and it’s launched by Dubai Trade, the DP World, UAE Region’s single window platform for cross-border trade.

It’s a collaboration with Dubai Customs and Dubai Municipality to help over 18,000 companies execute 360,000 transactions annually via its streamlined process. ZADI enables both food or customs inspection via a unified platform, reducing their operational costs and time.

More importantly for Jafza, ZADI is designed

to protect the food supply chain from monopoly and disruption, enabling traders to easily access food supplies. The presence of DP World in more than 50 countries makes this possible.

Food security has never been more critical for humanity than in the aftermath of the pandemic. Indeed, this was beautifully highlighted recently when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the UN’s World Food Programme.

It’s a matter of great pride for us that the UAE is partnering the World Food Programme to establish an international air bridge operation that will provide a lifeline of essential health and humanitarian supplies to nations around the world grappling with the impact of Covid-19.

As a UAE Company, Jafza takes its responsibility to society very seriously, and the Covid-19 crisis makes it imperative that we remain committed to supporting food security in the UAE and beyond.

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Industry Opinion

MOHAMMED AL MUALLEM, CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, DP WORLD, UAE REGION AND CEO OF JAFZA

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“ZADI is a unified food import platform AIMED at facilitating the import and re-export of food shipments throughout Dubai ports” 17

Trade

DUBAI – THE CENTRE OF THE TEA AND COFFEE TRADE

BY AHMED BIN SULAYEM - EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - DMCC DUBAI HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH TRADE, FROM THE TRADE OF COMMODITIES, FOOD AND OTHER RESOURCES WITH THE EMIRATE’S KEY TRADE PARTNERS, TO ACTING AS A TRANSHIPMENT HUB THAT CONNECTS EAST AND WEST, NORTH AND SOUTH. Over the years, DMCC has played a crucial role in promoting, attracting, and driving trade through Dubai.

This holds particularly true for the trade of two of the world’s most popular soft commodities – tea and coffee. Through the DMCC Tea Centre and the DMCC Coffee Centre, both located at JAFZA, DMCC has helped position Dubai as the world’s largest re-exporter of tea, and as a new global hub for the coffee industry.

The DMCC Tea Centre was established to create a unique tea trading hub and over a decade and a half later, the Tea Centre has well and truly put Dubai on the map as a destination for the tea industry. We

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process tea from the most important producing countries, and via the worldclass logistical infrastructure that Dubai and JAFZA have to offer, the DMCC Tea Centre serves a link between the producing countries in Southeast Asia (India and Sri Lanka) and Africa and the consuming countries in Europe and beyond.

The abundant space at JAFZA means that the DMCC Tea Centre is able to hold up to 5,000 tonnes in its warehouse – equivalent to the annual consumption of tea in Saudi Arabia – at any one time. The Tea Centre’s services also include blending and packaging solutions, with the ability to produce 10 million tea bags per month, as well as member benefits such as tea tasting.

Following on from the success of the Tea Centre, the DMCC Coffee Centre was launched in 2019. The state-of-the-art facility is the first of its kind in the Middle East and it encompasses the entire coffee industry, from crop to cup, to benefit a wide range of coffee professionals from across the world.

It connects the fast growing and high value consumer markets in the Middle East and Europe to some of the world’s major coffee producing nations such as Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Uganda and Vietnam. As with the Tea Centre, the Coffee Centre benefits from the advanced infrastructure at JAFZA, offering cost-efficient logistical support and services that connect coffee producers to buyers from all around the globe.

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Trade

AHMED BIN SULAYEM, AHMED BIN SULAYEM, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CEO, DMCC

The DMCC Coffee Centre’s core services include warehousing, roasting and packaging. Able to handle up to 20,000 tonnes of green coffee beans annually, the Coffee Centre creates new trading opportunities and will become the preferred hub for specialty coffee traders and producers across the region. The Coffee Centre also boasts a range of specialised offers, including coffee tasting and auctioning as well as barista training at a Speciality Coffee Association accredited training facility. At the end of 2019, the Centre hosted over 100 representatives of the nation’s coffee industry to taste and bid for some of the most exclusive and highest quality coffee in existence, including the world’s most expensive coffee, Panama Geisha.

And in July last year, following a visit to both the Tea and Coffee Centres from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, DMCC announced that the output of both centres will be tripled to keep up with increasing market demand and to support Dubai’s strategic economic diversification. With the help of JAFZA, DMCC continues to drive trade flows through Dubai, positioning the emirate as the global trading hub for both tea and coffee.

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Anniversaries

Celebrating 10 years in JAFZA, 15 Years in the UAE STEP INTO COFFEE PLANET’S 25,000 FT2 COFFEE ROASTING AND PACKAGING PLANT IN JAFZA, AND YOU’LL FIND 30 DEDICATED TEAM MEMBERS STANDING OVER THE PROBAT ROASTERS, TENDING TO EACH BATCH WITH EXTREME CARE. THE COMPANY’S ROASTMASTER, CLEIA JUNQUEIRA, IS AN EXPERT AT BRINGING THE BEST FLAVOUR OUT OF EACH AND EVERY COFFEE AND BECAUSE COFFEE PLANET WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF BOTH HIGH-QUALITY SPECIALITY COFFEE AND RESPONSIBLE SOURCING, EVERYONE BENEFITS, FROM FARMERS TO CONSUMERS.

CLEIA JUNQUEIRA, ROASTMASTER, COFFEE PLANET

“Very few people understand that Coffee Planet is a speciality coffee roaster,” Cleia explains. “Due to our size, we are often confused with commercial coffee roasters. This is far from the truth and is evident in the quality of product, we so carefully deliver to our customers and consumers. The process of selecting

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and analysing the green coffee we purchase is a science and one in which we take enormous care and pride. We have been working with our green coffee suppliers for many years, and they clearly understand the high-quality that needs to be delivered to us. Great care and attention are taken to ensure this happens.”

THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, THE BEST PEOPLE Coffee Planet works with a broad range of clients to create something special and unique to separate them from the crowd. Serving blue-chip companies and organisations such as Carrefour, Etihad Airways, Hilton, ADNOC, IKEA and Spinneys, the company retains its leadership position in the industry by investing heavily in R&D. “To find growth in existing and new markets, R&D is a continual and very important process.

Our success depends on this. The concept of R&D applies to the renovation of existing products and the innovation of new products, which may mean inventing completely new product lines and categories,” says Cleia.

There has been considerable investment in the company’s roasting and packaging equipment too, with all roasting equipment coming from Probat in Germany, which is considered to be the best roasting manufacturer in the world. “We doubled our roasting capacity last year, by adding an additional Probat 120 Neptune coffee roaster,” Cleia continues. “The addition of this coffee roaster increased our production to 360 tons per month.” Currently, Coffee Planet’s facilities operate 24/7 365 days a year, even during the pandemic.

The fully automated packaging equipment is all from Italy and is utilised for the company’s amazing 100 % Arabica speciality coffee, Turkish and Arabic coffee, pillow pouches and pods, and Nespresso compatible biodegradable capsules.

Much of the state-of-the-art technology in the industry today was not available even a decade ago.

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Anniversaries

THE ROASTERY

“Importing and roasting more than 200 tons of coffee per month means our operations are required to run smoothly and efficiently” This includes Coffee Planet’s laboratory equipment, where every batch sample can be carefully analysed by the company’s Agtron equipment to ensure that there is absolute consistency in the roasted coffee.

Coffee machines have also made huge strides in technology to limit errors as much as possible by the baristas. As Coffee Planet are distributors of leading coffee equipment manufacturers, including Franke, Nuova Simonelli, La Cimbali and Schaerer, it has also adopted these pioneering technologies.

However, the company never underestimates the exceptional skills and abilities of its highly talented and professional team, whether that be the Roastmaster, baristas, trainers, engineers or quality control personnel. “Whilst we always adopt the latest technologies, our greatest asset is our incredible people,” explains Cleia.

“Throughout our organisation, we value everybody’s effort and contributions.

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Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and being on first-name terms go a long way in making people feel valued. We create an environment in the workplace which ensures our people apply themselves to always do their best.

“You never stop learning in the coffee industry, and there are new ideas and products launched daily. People become fascinated by this and take the time and effort to learn more. If we keep our team happy, they will keep our customers happy!”

We have extremely exciting projects in all these channels, which will be launched during 2021. These include extremely bespoke and unique single-origin estate coffees from very carefully selected farmers, a new bespoke Nespresso Compatible capsule line, a freeze-dried coffee retail range, a cold brew range, and new blends.”

With a long-term vision for growth, Coffee Planet believes that the functions that contribute most to its success are marketing, selling and innovation. These are what produce results. Of course, Jafza has also been a boon to the company’s ongoing success, with Cleia concluding: “The 100% ownership and zero import taxation was a big incentive for Coffee Planet to move to Jafza, alongside the ease of business set up and logistics benefits.

The Jafza structure also works well for us through being close to the Sea Port of Jebel Ali and Al Maktoum Airport. This assists us considerably in managing our supply chain and logistic operations.

“Importing and roasting more than 200 tons of coffee per month means our operations are required to run smoothly and efficiently. Any delays within this function could cause serious ramifications to the company and the roasted coffee we so proudly deliver throughout the region and world.”

SMOOTH AND EFFICIENT “Coffee Planet has been working extremely hard this year in preparing a new fiveyear strategic plan, following the challenges presented by the Covid-19 crisis. This has involved carefully analysing how the different business segments contribute to the top line and bottom line of the P&L. “A few people still don’t understand how diversified Coffee Planet is,” says Cleia. “We operate in Hotels, Retail, Online, On the Go, International, Foodservice, Office Coffee Solutions and Franchise channels.

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In Focus

Healthier Products for a New Age THE FOOD INDUSTRY HAS NOT CHANGED, ADAPTED AND INNOVATED AT SUCH A PACE SINCE THE INVENTION OF CANNED FOOD AROUND 200 YEARS AGO. THESE CHANGES ARE BEING DRIVEN BY RISING CONSUMER DEMAND FOR HEALTHIER, MORE ETHICAL AND MORE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS, WHICH THE FOOD INDUSTRY IS BEING PRESSURED TO RESPOND TO WITH IMPROVED RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND INGREDIENTS. FOOD SPECIALITIES LIMITED (FSL) IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS TREND, DEVELOPING ENTIRELY NEW PRODUCTS SUCH AS PLANT-BASED MEATS, AND DAIRY AND EGGS FROM NUTS, PULSES AND BEANS, ALL DESIGNED TO SIMULATE THEIR ANIMAL COUNTERPARTS. THESE ARE ENTIRELY NEW FOOD CATEGORIES. Meanwhile, India, Russia, the USA and China are investing heavily in lab grown meat – a concept which sounds like science-fiction today but which is only five years away from coming to market. Creativity within the food industry today is a mandate, not an option.

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION FSL has a diverse and ever-evolving portfolio, supplying food and beverage ingredient solutions to manufacturers; agro and dairy commodities to traders; and premium hospitality products to the HORECA industry.

“Within the company’s ingredients business, we offer formulations that help customers to improve the nutritional and taste profile of their products, reduce manufacturing costs, and develop innovative products to grow their market share in new categories,” explains Dhruv Dhawan, Head of Innovation & Marketing.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has, of course, placed immense financial stress on the industry and individuals,” he continues, “resulting in the need for manufacturers to reduce costs and for consumers to be more cautious with their spending. As the mantra to ‘stay healthy and stay safe’ became a mainstream meme, a new wave of consumer demand for healthy and immunity boosting products was ushered in overnight.”

FSL has responded to this demand in ever more creative and innovative ways, focusing entirely on healthier solutions, immunity boosting products, and more efficient production methods across all food and beverage categories. Offering healthier solutions and cost-engineering has always

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been at the core of its business but this time the demands upon the company were much greater due to the financial squeeze the industry and consumers were experiencing.

This is where some of its plant-based solutions really began to show the value they can add from a health and cost perspective.

Moreover, as consumers stock-piled in Q2 of 2020, the demand for products with longer shelf-life also came to the fore. FSL, of course, has been offering shelf-life extension solutions for decades. However, this time it had to push the boundary even further for juice, bakery, snack and dairy products.

JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT “Covid-19 has simply accelerated the demand for healthier products and cleaner labels,” says Dhruv, “but

what has been interesting to see is the rise of the flexitarian diet trend (where consumers are reducing their consumption of animal products) and the corresponding spike in demand for plant-based meat alternatives in the region. This is likely to be attributed to the association that consumers are now making between diseases such as Bird Flu, Swine Flu, Mad Cow Disease, SARS and Covid-19, which originated from the meat industry in certain countries.

“Another interesting trend is the increasing preference for consumers to buy locally as opposed to imported products due to the greater trust consumers have in local supply chains during a pandemic.”

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In Focus

HEALTHIER PRODUCTS, HIGHER NUTRITIONAL VALUES Creating healthy products goes hand-in-hand with reducing sugar content, a trend that is being driven not only by health-conscious consumers but also from the governments of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and, recently, Oman, which have imposed taxes on various food and beverage products which contain added sugar. Heart disease, obesity and diabetes are pressing issues in the GCC (with rates of 33%, 32% and 16% of the total population respectively) and these regulations have been a proactive step to improve the health of the local population.

FSL has been responding to this shift with a wide range of healthy and natural fruit sugar based solutions, which are much healthier for the body than processed sugar due to their lower glycaemic index (a number which dictates how much a food increases blood sugar levels). The company is also using fibres and proteins to replace the body and mouth feel that sugars provide, which reduce the net glycaemic index too, while improving its nutritional profile.

However, replacing sugar is not a simple solution and one that requires a multitude of functional ingredients to offer consumers the indulgence they seek while ensuring their health is not being compromised.

Dhruv takes up the story: “Navigating the new sugar regulations and developing noadded-sugar solutions in certain categories will be FSL’s greatest challenge for two key reasons: The first is due to the fact that the Arab and South-Asian consumer palate (which makes up approximately 95% of the GCC population), have a strong preference for sweet tasting profiles. Meanwhile, much of the blue-collar workforce in the region wants to consume sugary drinks for energy and are not so concerned with their sugar content. The second is due to the fact that sugar is not only used to sweeten a product but also to provide texture, structure, colour and shelf-life. Sugar browns baked goods and helps remove water. It lightly coats the tongue. It provides body and mouth feel to juices, and it helps keep ice creams soft.”

Reducing sugar is, therefore, a multipronged challenge, especially in products where consumers are used to it.

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Today’s consumers know what items made with sugar look, smell, feel and taste like.

Products which use less sugar or sweeteners also need to feel, behave, taste, look and smell the same.

“We occasionally advise our customers who are looking to reduce the sugar content in their products to create a separate ‘healthier’ version, says Dhruv. “This allows for more flexibility to play with the formulation and creatively develop something that meets the sugar reduction goals without necessarily having to look and taste identical to the product with sugar.

“We are also helping our customers develop healthier products with sweet, but more sophisticated and interesting taste profiles which tantalize the taste buds beyond the satiation of sugar.”

JAFZA – CONSTANTLY INNOVATING FSL has been operating from Jafza since 1987 because of the 100% ownership that it allows and the business-friendly environment it facilitates. “As a free zone it enables us to trade in goods without having to pay VAT and duties on re-exports, which then have to be recouped,” says Dhruv.

“This greatly improves the speed at which we can do business and deliver products to customers. It also makes the process of moving goods from seaport to airport port (such as Dubai World Trade Central Airport)

much simpler. The port facilities themselves are exceptionally efficient, with some of the fastest container offloading times in the world, which allow us to receive, process and deliver goods to a customer within a 24-hour window.

“Jafza also has its own regulations, independent from that of the rest of the country, which offer us many advantages in terms of business compliance, real estate rules and the speed at which we can process labour requirements such as work visas.

Furthermore, Jafza is an internationally recognised and well reputed trading hub in the Middle East where many MNC’s and large regional businesses operate.

“In addition, Jafza provides FSL with a dedicated service manager to support the company with its business requirements. And most importantly, Jafza is also constantly innovating with its technologies, processes and facilities, which are truly world-class.

It is the perfect business location for a company like FSL.” LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Over the next five years, healthier solutions, clean-label and plant-based foods are going to be the key growth areas across the bakery, confectionery, beverage, dairy, snack, meat and flavour businesses. Health is going to be the main factor driving consumer purchasing, while reducing costs and improving profitability will be the key drivers for FSL’s manufacturing customers.

In terms of geographical growth, FSL is expanding into the North African and Nigerian markets, which are ripe with opportunity due to their large growing populations and relatively under-developed food and beverage market. “We can offer a wide variety of sophisticated solutions that have already been tried and tested in the GCC and have proven successful,” Dhruv concludes.

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Dubai Government Legislation

Strategic Food Security Law Will Fuel Growth IN THIS ISSUE OF THE ZONE, WE SPEAK TO MR SULTAN AL TAHIR, HEAD OF THE FOOD INSPECTION SECTION AT THE FOOD SAFETY DEPARTMENT OF DUBAI MUNICIPALITY, ABOUT THE STRATEGIC FOOD SAFETY LAW AND FOOD SECURITY WITHIN THE UAE. The Zone: Can you explain how the Strategic Food Security Law will affect and assist manufacturers and suppliers?

What new obligations will they need to meet?

Al Tahir: The Strategic Food Security Law will result in yield improvement from new technology-enabled production and also increase the production of select strategic food items that will boost the business volume of the manufacturers and suppliers.

The Zone: How will Dubai Municipality enforce this new law?

Tahir: Dubai Municipality will enforce this new law by guiding and providing awareness about the Strategic Food Security Law to food establishments, as well as by conducting inspection visits to ensure that they are complying with the requirements.

The Zone: How will Dubai Municipality continue to ensure that food safety requirements are applied during the receiving of materials, the preparation and storage of food, display at a healthy temperature, and hygiene and sterilization procedures to prevent cross-contamination and pest control.

Tahir: Dubai Municipality will continue to ensure that by conducting frequent inspection visits to the food establishments, in addition to enforcing the implementation of approved food safety systems in large food businesses, such as hotels, catering and manufacturing.

We plan to enforce this in the small food business sector in the not too distant future.

The Zone: How difficult is it to keep improving standards, but maintaining fair prices for the consumer?

Tahir: It’s not difficult when we have the National Food Security Strategy and a high standard of food safety, as that ensures the availability of safe food with competition in prices that result in fair prices for the consumers.

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MR SULTAN AL TAHIR, HEAD OF FOOD INSPECTION SECTION, FOOD SAFETY DEPARTMENT, DUBAI MUNICIPALITY

This pandemic has demonstrated that the UAE is ready with good food security to face any changes that may happen due to emergencies or crises The Zone: Dubai’s external food trade volumes in the first half of this year reached nine million tonnes, representing AED32 billion in total, while Dubai’s food imports touched AED22 billion - do you think that local production will continue to increase over the next few years?

Tahir: The National Food Security Strategy enhances sustainable technology-enabled domestic food supply across the value chain that will increase local production and reduce the quantities of imported food.

The Zone: The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the importance of food security into sharp focus – do you believe that this crisis can ultimately have positive repercussions for the food sector, and why?

Al Tahir: This pandemic has demonstrated that the UAE is ready with good food security to face any changes that may happen due to emergencies or crises, and it allowed us to make any improvements we may need in the future to ensure the sustainability of the food supply. The positive repercussions for the food sector are reflected in the lessons learned from the challenges that have arisen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Strategic Food Security Law will result in yield improvement from new technology enabled production

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Jafza Community

Positively Impacting Society THE TERM ‘CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY’ (CSR) GENERALLY APPLIES TO COMPANIES EFFORTS THAT GO BEYOND WHAT MAY BE REQUIRED BY REGULATORS OR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION GROUPS. AT DP WORLD, UAE REGION, IT IS MADE UP OF A HUGE MIX OF INITIATIVES THAT CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS ECONOMIC, COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT, LEADING TO A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY AS WELL AS BUSINESS. JAFZA, AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF DP WORLD, UAE REGION, SUPPORTS THESE CSR INITIATIVES, CONTINUALLY REACHING OUT TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS IT CAN. BACK TO SCHOOL INITIATIVES Young people have made it clear that they expect companies to support causes important to them. Moreover, they are more likely to want to work for companies with CSR programmes that revolve around social action. Within the education sector, this means aligning efforts to teacher priorities, appealing to student interests, and delivering change with real-world impact.

DP World, UAE Region has risen to this challenge with relish, launching a series of initiatives to help schools and students across the UAE. It is supporting the Royati Family Society, for instance, by purchasing 70 tablets for students who are in need.

Furthermore, it has bought stationary and health kits for 500 students in the National Charity School, as well as buying 500,000 face masks that are being distributed to government and private schools, as well as charity organisations, across the nation.

SPONSORING THE KNOWLEDGE PORT PROJECT FOR DUBAI FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) is the first licensed non-profit shelter in the UAE for victims of domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking. It was established in July 2007 to offer victims immediate protection

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and support services in accordance with international human rights obligations. It is no surprise, therefore, that DP World, UAE Region would want to support such a worthy endeavour, and has done so by providing DFWAC with an integrated room equipped with laptops, iPads, projector, printers and other equipment.

AL JALILA CHILDREN HOSPITAL PLAY AREA Being able to play while in hospital means that children can continue an aspect of their normal life. Moreover, research has shown that children who experience play while in hospital respond to treatment better.

With this in mind, DP World, UAE Region has sponsored the establishment of an indoor play area for in and outpatients at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital, the first dedicated facility of its type in the UAE. NO PLASTIC Plastic is the most insidious man-made material ever; not only is plastic harmful to the environment, it is also detrimental to the oceans and wildlife, impacting nearly 700 species, including humans.

For this reason, DP World, UAE Region is continually active in trying to persuade people to reduce or completely cut out their use of plastics, including posting on social media in July for a ‘Plastic Free UAE’.

It also sent out emails to all employees during the Sustainable Development Week Campaign, ‘No ... Thanks’.

FRIENDS OF CANCER PATIENTS (FOCP) – RELAY FOR LIFE In 2020, DP World, UAE Region has supported FOCP with three challenges: Give & Gain 2020 – Ramadan Challenge, Summer Challenge, and the Pink Step Challenge.

The ‘Give & Gain 2020, Ramadan Campaign’ challenge was held in partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s ‘Engage Dubai’ programme for corporate volunteering.

The campaign targeted five million steps.

UAE organisations that took part in the challenge included DP World - UAE Region, FOCP, Elements 8, and Qimah, amongst others.

The Relay for Life Summer Challenge saw both individuals and companies join in, encouraging participants to target 8,000 steps every day to contribute to achieving the overall goal of 10 million steps.

Finally, FOCP organised the Pink Steps Challenge to encourage individuals and corporate teams to improve their health and contribute to the treatment of cancer patients who cannot afford it.

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Jafza Community

landmark group

Supports Education Uninterrupted Campaign THE LANDMARK GROUP HAS PARTNERED WITH DUBAI CARES IN SUPPORT OF THE UAE-BASED GLOBAL PHILANTHROPIC ORGANISATION’S NATIONWIDE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, ‘EDUCATION UNINTERRUPTED’.

THIS INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED TO TACKLE THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK ON THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE UAE. Launched earlier this year jointly by Dubai Cares and the Ministry of Education (MoE), Education Uninterrupted aims to support children and youth from low-income families who cannot afford to purchase a desktop computer, laptop or tablet and join their peers in distance learning during the pandemic.

As a part of this collaboration, Landmark Group brands have joined forces to run a region-wide in-store donation drive, offering their customers the opportunity to make monetary donations towards the cause.

Corresponding with the unique Back to School season this year, customers visiting any of the Landmark Group retail outlets can donate an amount of their choice by adding it to their purchase, with all donations collected going to support the Education Uninterrupted campaign. Through the in-store fundraising drive, the Landmark Group will make a positive impact on the future of the younger generation who are at a higher risk of not having access to learning opportunities during this time.

This initiative was launched to tackle the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the education of children and youth in the UAE The Zone

Landmark Group brands have joined forces to run a region-wide in-store donation drive Dr Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares and Member of its Board of Directors, said: “Through their contribution towards the nationwide Education Uninterrupted campaign at this crucial time, the Landmark Group will help to ensure the learning journey of students in the UAE continues without interruption. We thank the Landmark Group for their continuous generous support and engagement in the UAE, which is a testament to their belief in the power of education. Giving students from low-income families the opportunity to continue learning through the provision of the necessary remote learning tools is more important than ever before.”

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In Conversation With

Life Tastes Better with Unilever UNILEVER IS WORKING HARD TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, PRESERVE RESOURCES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND ASSIST CONSUMERS IN THEIR QUEST FOR A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. WE SPEAK TO ABHIROOP CHUCKARBUTTY, VICE PRESIDENT, FOODS & REFRESHMENT, UNILEVER MENA, ABOUT THE COMPANY’S EFFORTS TO DRIVE SUSTAINABILITY, HOW THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, AND HOW IT IS ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR IMPROVED NUTRITION AND WELLNESS. The Zone: Tell us a little about Unilever’s Foods and Refreshment categories in MENA? Abhiroop Chuckarbutty: Foods & Refreshment is the second biggest division in terms of business and profit in Unilever MENA. The Foods division includes savoury items such as bouillon, meal-makers and dressings, where we have two main brands, Knorr and Hellmann’s.

Our Refreshment division is made up of tea, with well-known brands such as Lipton, Brooke Bond Red Label and Pukka, and the Ice Cream category boasts leading brands such as Magnum, Cornetto and Max. Lipton is the biggest brand across all MENA divisions. It is an entrenched part of Arabian culture and enjoys a leadership position within the tea category across countries that make up the GCC. The Zone: How did the pandemic impact consumer behaviour in the Foods and Refreshment categories?

Chuckarbutty: Early in the pandemic, a lot of consumer behaviour was shaped out of fear and anxiety. We, therefore, saw consumers stocking up in panic regardless of the cash outlay required.

This was visible across almost all Foods and Refreshment (F&R) categories, with the focus being mostly on non-perishable items like snacks, canned food and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) categories.

Snacking became the new pastime and, with consumers staying indoors even when working, the occasions for munching/snacking increased.

Based on research conducted by IPSOS, 32% of consumers that we polled across MENA said they are now snacking more often, with 39% saying they ate more meals per day.

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With the onset of passive snacking, leading to dramatic overeating, consumers also observed a significant increase in their weight, making them search for healthier alternatives.

Consumers also increasingly started alternate wellness practices such as intermittent fasting, while exercising more and counting their calories.

The Zone: What has Unilever done to address the consumer need for improved nutrition and wellness?

Chuckarbutty: To address the consumer need for improved wellness and nutrition, we have internal nutrition commitments. To achieve these, we have developed strict nutrition criteria that form the backbone of our product development. Our criteria aim to limit nutrients of concern such as salt, sugar and calories, as well as providing guidelines to promote plant-based foods. We also fortify our products where possible.

Moreover, we ensure that we label our products to help consumers make better choices.

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In Conversation With

We have also empowered people to cook more tasty, nutritious meals with varied ingredients in flexible ways to meet their lifestyles and budgets by providing a slew of recipes.

The Zone: What are the Foods and Refreshment categories that are seeing growth during the pandemic?

Chuckarbutty: From a category perspective, hot beverages, both coffee and tea benefitted, as the occasions to drink these have increased during the pandemic. Foods categories like bouillon, spice mixes, noodles, canned food and the Ready-to-Eat segment also increased thanks to the escalation in home-based cooking.

Tea, coffee, juices, milk and cheese were among the key top 10 categories in which consumers claimed to eat and drink more.

The Zone: What are the rising trends during the pandemic that can benefit the Foods & Refreshment categories?

Chuckarbutty: As mentioned earlier, an increase in snacking leads many consumers to put on weight, which in turn has led to a preference towards making more healthier choices. Consumers have increasingly begun to consume more natural and fresh foods such as nuts, fruits and vegetables. They additionally started cooking more nutritious meals, with the manifestation of this seen in consumers adding less salt than usual, using healthier cooking oils and preferring the use of fat-free dairy. Slightly less than two-thirds of consumers claimed that they would maintain their eating habits formed during Covid-19 times.

Another trend is the increased interest in foods that help to boost the body’s defence, building immunity. This is seen as more and more consumers online search for immunity and fortification foods, adding vitamin supplements to their drinks and herbs to their teas and juices more frequently.

Thirdly, Covid-19 has led to an increased preference for homemade food. With ample time on their hands during the lockdown and restaurants closing, consumers have discovered a newfound love for homemade food that is healthy, safe and delicious! We also saw that in countries • Lipton is the biggest brand across all MENA divisions • 32% of consumers polled across MENA said they are now snacking more often • Strict nutrition criteria that form the backbone of product development • Providing guidelines to promote plant-based foods • Slightly less than two-thirds of consumers claimed that they would maintain their eating habits formed during Covid-19 times

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like the UAE, almost two-thirds of consumers said that they have begun cooking for pleasure now, consuming a lot of content on YouTube and other mediums for inspiration.

Scratch cooking has become less of a chore as consumers resort to fresher and more natural alternatives.

A lot of men have started preparing their own meals too, as well as helping their families to prepare meals.

The Zone: What should we expect in the near future?

Chuckarbutty: Going forward, we expect consumers to maintain the healthier habits acquired during the pandemic, given that it has shown consumers the ease and benefits of having an active lifestyle.

The increased ongoing focus on maintaining good health will continue, with consumers searching for fortified and immunity-boosting alternatives, even in the long run.

Categories that gained initially during stock-up, not only as a result of stockpiling, but also increased consumption, such as tea, will flow through into the future too. There will be more men cooking in the future than earlier this year, prepandemic, across the region. Brands that offer consistent availability across channels will win! Availability is key!

The Zone: What is your approach to driving sustainability?

Chuckarbutty: Our commitment to sustainability and contributing towards building a healthier planet and people is strong. Today, almost two billion people are overweight, and nearly a billion people go to bed hungry, while a third of all food produced is lost or wasted. Producing and consuming food is exhausting the earth’s resources and fueling climate change. We want to be a part of the solution, helping address this through our scale and reach.

We are doing this by developing nutritious foods and healthy, balanced diets. Furthermore, we are globally expanding our portfolio into dairy-free and vegan options to allow people to make more plant-based choices.

Additionally, we are working to source our ingredients sustainably and support farmers and others who make their livelihood from working with us. We are working towards reducing food waste by tackling it in our supply chain and working with consumers to do the same.

• Covid-19 has led to an increased preference for homemade food • A lot of men have started preparing their own meals • Almost two billion people are overweight • Working to source ingredients sustainably and support farmers • Working towards reducing food waste by tackling it in our supply chain

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In Conversation With

Quality with Integrity HUNTER FOODS HAS EVOLVED OVER THE PAST 35 YEARS TO BECOME A HIGHLY FLEXIBLE, INNOVATIVE FOOD MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS, SERVING CUSTOMERS IN ALMOST 40 COUNTRIES AND ON SEVEN CONTINENTS. ITS DESIRE TO OFFER THE VERY BEST TASTES, BLENDING CURRENT AND EMERGING FOOD TRENDS, WITH THE BEST INGREDIENTS AND MOST UP TO DATE TECHNOLOGIES, HAS GAINED THE COMPANY A REPUTATION FOR PRODUCING A WIDE RANGE OF SUPERIOR SPECIALITY, GOURMET AND ‘BETTER FOR YOU’ SNACKS AND FOODS UNDER ITS OWN BRANDS, AS WELL AS ALSO DISTRIBUTING OTHER STELLAR BRANDS OF CEREALS, BISCUITS, NUTS, OATS AND GRANOLAS. WE SPEAK TO ANANYA NARAYAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, HUNTER FOODS, WHO TELLS US ABOUT THE COMPANY’S CULTURE AND VISION, ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH JAFZA, THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19, AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. The Zone: What do you feel is the biggest strength of Hunter Foods right now?

Ananya Narayan: Our biggest strength is our commitment to innovation in ‘Better for You’ snacks and foods and transforming the company quickly to satisfy our customers’ ever-changing needs in the UAE and the rest of the world.

The Zone: What goals do you have for the company over the next three years?

Narayan: Our goal in the next three years is to triple sales, sell our products in over 50 countries and start a new state-of-the-art factory.

The Zone: When it comes to Hunter Foods, what are you most proud of?

Narayan: Our team. Success takes a winning team to make it happen.

Serving customers in almost 40 countries And on seven continents

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The Zone: Often, especially in larger companies, people have little insight into what the Managing Director does on a day-to-day basis. How do you spend your day?

Narayan: I spend my time trying to work ‘on’ the business rather than ‘in’ the business. This is difficult at times, especially with the uncertainty at the moment. However, the goal is to think for tomorrow to make it easier for the team to achieve the goals for today.

The Zone: How do you keep your employees keen and motivated?

Narayan: I try to speak to them one-onone as often as possible, especially in these difficult times when we have lost some of the face-to-face interactions to distant working environments and online communication.

We are just starting a new platform, ‘Ask Ananya Any Questions’, which will make the communication between the team and me more transparent and ensure we are all on the same page.

The Zone: How has Covid-19 affected Hunter Foods, and how are you navigating its challenges?

Narayan: We have been less affected by Covid-19 since we had a major fire incident at our factory in April this year. Fortunately, no one was hurt. We had to quickly and immediately build an alternative production facility. We are now looking at building a new state-of-the-art factory to take ourselves to the next level in manufacturing. It would be something that we created/built during and post Covid-19 that we would be proud of for many years to come.

The Zone: How has Jafza assisted Hunter Foods over the years?

Narayan: We have been fortunate for having been located in Jafza and were the first factory to start operations there. Jafza has always been proactive in helping us to build our success – as they see their success comes from the success of their partners.

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In Conversation With

“Our biggest strength is our commitment to innovation in ‘Better for You’ snacks and foods”

The Zone: What is the biggest benefit of being based in Jafza?

Narayan: The efficiency of Jebel Ali Port and the business mindedness of DP World.

The speed at which we could send and receive containers helped us tremendously during the beginning of Covid-19. We take for granted the efficiency of the port, being able to get containers from when the ship is docked within hours, where it takes days or weeks in other countries. The location and the connectivity of Dubai allow many options to send and receive shipments from around the world. This helps us to increase our business by sending more containers faster to customers and receiving repeat orders more quickly too. With these efficiencies, we have been able to be competitive in selling snacks in countries as far away as Brazil.

The Zone: What does success look like for you?

Narayan: Success to us is a win-win-winwin formula. If we can keep our employees happy and with the right processes, we shall have a win with consumers. If we are able to win over our consumers, then there will be a win with our customers. If we win with the customers, we will have happy shareholders and partners. It is an all-around winning circle. It starts with getting the basics of business right, and the rest falls into place.

The Zone: What do you most value about Hunter Foods’ culture and vision?

Narayan: Much of our vision and culture comes from a quote from my grandfather’s diary, written to him by Albert Einstein: “Nothing is more important to man than man,” and everything we do starts with this.

My grandfather and my father translated this into business in three guiding principles: honesty, sincerity and hard work. My wife and I have added to this direction by ensuring the importance and necessity of offering our customers, and ultimately consumers, ‘Better for You’ snacks and foods.

ANANYA NARAYAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, HUNTER FOODS

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In Focus

Gulf Seafood

25 year legacy of Quality, Reliability & Trust A 150-YEAR OLD FAMILY BUSINESS, HEADQUARTERED IN OMAN, THE W.J. TOWELL GROUP OPERATES ACROSS SEVERAL VERTICALS AND, AS PART OF ITS GROWTH OBJECTIVES, THROUGH ITS FMCG VERTICAL (ENHANCE GROUP), ACQUIRED GULF SEAFOOD IN Q3 2015.

Gulf Seafood is a foodservice focused frozen seafood processing company, with a vision to be the best-in-class, providing quality frozen seafood to the HoReCa segment and private label brands in the MENA region, and cookedshrimp and freezedried shrimp in North America.

RICHARD PEREIRA, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER MANUFACTURING, ENHANCE GROUP (GULF SEAFOOD)

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The company has a growing focus on sustainable and value-added seafood.

Despite the sector witnessing a value decline over the last five years, driven primarily by lower commodity prices globally, Gulf Seafood has been able to outperform the industry, delivering a positive revenue CAGR in a challenging market.

“This growth came from our penetration into new markets across the GCC and beyond, securing long-term contracts within the catering segment and expanding our private-label business,” explains Richard Pereira, Chief Operating Officer – Manufacturing, Enhance Group (Gulf Seafood).

Gulf Seafood currently exports to all GCC countries, USA, Canada, Mexico, Maldives and Mauritius.

It is presently looking to expand into the Arab League countries, and would also like to explore Israel as a potential opportunity.

A CONSISTENT ‘A’ RATING Gulf Seafood provides a wide range of frozen seafood products. These include wild-caught and farmed shrimp, wild-caught fish (Black Cod, Chilean Seabass, Cod, Pollock, Red Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Barramundi, Nile Perch, Haddock, Tuna), farmed fish species (Salmon, Pangasius), warm water and cold water lobsters, wild-caught crab (Alaskan King Crab, Jonah Crab, Blue Swimming Crab), wild-caught octopus and squid, wild scallops and cultured mussels.

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In Focus

“We source our portfolio from across the world through a trusted network of highquality primary processors,” says Pereira.

“Our customers are mostly premium hotels, restaurants and catering companies. They value the fact that we deliver a product that consistently meets their specifications so that their customers can enjoy exactly the same product on their plates every time they dine at their establishments.”

Delivering that product takes special attention to quality and food safety, and that is what makes Gulf Seafood stand out amongst its competition. This is also reflected in the fact that Dubai Municipality, customers and certification bodies (BRCC, FSSC) have given the company a consistent ‘A’ rating year after year in the annual audit process.

Gulf Seafood, through its annual customer service survey, established that 86% of its customers rate its product and service quality better or much better than its competitors. That is a level of trust that is quite exceptional. To top that, 75% of customers have been with the company for at least two years or more, and 40% for more than five years.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS Gulf Seafood is very conscious of its impact on the environment and, to lower its carbon footprint, has implemented several energy-saving initiatives, resulting in a reduction of its carbon footprint by 14% in 2019 versus 2018. To further capitalise on those gains, in January 2020 the company commissioned a rooftop solar installation at its site in Jafza, which has already helped Gulf Seafood to further reduce its carbon footprint by another 20% so far this year.

“Other initiatives over the years have included moving all of our plastic bags to Oxy biodegradable plastic, ensuring that the company does its part in ensuring that dangerous plastic does not find its way into the oceans. Furthermore, to minimise our wastewater discharge, we have invested in an on-site effluent treatment plant that allows us to obtain irrigation standard water, which we now use to irrigate the lawn outside of our facility in Jafza,” Pereira says.

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A CLEAR ADVANTAGE Gulf Seafood was one of the first companies to begin operations in Jafza, and being based there has been one of the cornerstones of its success, with Pereira commenting: “The superior quality of infrastructure, the transparent and superefficient administration, the simplicity and ease of doing business has been an absolute boon for the company.”

As a food processing company within Jafza, Gulf Seafood has also had to comply with the very demanding health and safety standards that the free zone and EHS expect from it. This has helped it to raise its standards continuously.

Gulf Seafood currently exports to all GCC countries, USA, Canada, Mexico, Maldives and Mauritius Moreover, being located within the port area has allowed Gulf Seafood to be able to import and export its products with speed and agility. It has lowered its costs of operation and provided access to DP World’s reliable cold storage facilities and clearing and

forwarding services. Benefits such as these can rarely be quantified but go a long way in allowing businesses to become efficient.

RIDING OUT THE STORM “The Covid-19 pandemic has been crippling for Gulf Seafood,” Pereira explains. “As a foodservice focused business, we have been severely affected by the impact the pandemic has had on the hospitality and travel industry. With an 80% reduction in sales, we have had to respond positively and swiftly to engage with all of our stakeholders and build contingencies”.

“The company remains extremely grateful for the support and the vision of its shareholders, the W.J. Towell Group. They recognised the emerging challenges and supported the management team to work towards alternative scenarios that allowed Gulf Seafood to retain its entire team during this crisis instead of forced layoffs and retrenchment. Retaining our team has also allowed us to be flexible in responding faster to the changing circumstances”, Pereira added.

Consequently, Gulf Seafood is in a very favourable position when it comes to riding out the effects of the current pandemic, and can look forward with confidence to a continually evolving and prosperous future.

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Logistics

Smart Solutions Logistics (SSL)

The Most Trusted Way to Get from A to B AN INTEGRATED SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDER, SMART SOLUTIONS LOGISTICS (SSL) SERVES DISCERNING CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE UAE. CENTRALLY POSITIONED IN ONE OF THE FASTEST DEVELOPING REGIONS IN THE WORLD, THE MIDDLE EAST, THE COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT CLIENTS’ PRODUCTS ARE DELIVERED TO THEIR CUSTOMERS EFFICIENTLY USING HIGH-END IT PLATFORMS AND A WIDE VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION MODES. Based in Jafza, SSL is ideally placed to benefit from the world-class infrastructure that is built around the Jebel Ali Port, with Albert Kraak, Chief Operating Officer, explaining: “The Jebel Ali eco-system consists of a quite unique mix of various stakeholders, all delivering different elements to that eco-system: Jebel Ali Port offers state-of-the-art services; Jafza services clients with business licenses, land, offices, warehouses and a range of other solutions; Dubai Trade, DP World’s online trade portal connects all stakeholders through its online portal, and SSL delivers neutrally port-centric logistics solutions to its clients in Dubai and the wider UAE.”

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BUILDING BRIDGES Every aspect of SSL’s logistics and supply chain management services are geared towards serving clients with cutting-edge solutions, with the company enjoying success across a broad portfolio of market sectors, not least food and beverage. In this specialist and highly demanding field, there are some key factors contributing to the company’s success, allowing it to grow the business by 100% over the last two years.

Factor one is the utilisation of the extensive network of DP World connections or bridges as they are known within SSL. “DP World has built an extensive network in key markets for food products, and by connecting the dots via our Freight Forwarding Department, we

can ensure customers a true and unique full end-to-end supply chain solution using this growing infrastructure,” said Kraak.

Factor two is the company’s wide array of facilities and services, dictating that it can cater neutrally to the marketplace. “This means,” says Kraak, “that if you are having a forwarding company and you need some cold storage at -18 degrees for one of your clients, we will offer you space in our facility in order for the forwarder to offer this to its client and combine his and our services as one.”

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India Bridge

06 09

Logistics

PANIPAT

JEBEL ALI PORT

UAE

INDIA

AHMEDABAD MUNDRA

DP WORLD INDIAN PORTS

ICD/CFS STATIONS

MUMBAI

NHAVA SHEVA

VISAKHAPATNAM HYDERABAD

Move freight seamlessly, to and from India

DP World launched an “India-UAE Bridge”, a major initiative that will facilitate Indian-UAE trade and investments, connecting Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone with our vast DP World Indian infrastructure, offering fully controlled End-to-End (e2e) Logistics Solutions.

MADHAVARAM CHENNAI REDHILLS

BANGALORE

CHENNAI

COCHIN

TUTICORIN

Djen Djen

Algiers

End to End Solutions

Sokhna JEBEL ALI PORT

UAE

MALI

16 08 03

Central corridor of the TSH

NIGER

LANDLOCKED AFRICAN COUNTRIES

CHAD

Dakar to Bamako Ouagadougou to Niamey

DP WORLD AFRICAN PORTS

Addis Ababa to Djibouti

Douala to N'Djamena & Douala to Bangui

BURKINO FASO

Addis Ababa to Berbera

Cameroon to Nigeria

Mombasa to Nairobi to Addis Ababa

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

SIGNED PROJECTS

Bamako to San Pedro

SOUTH SUDAN

Lome to Ouagadougou

UGANDA Brazzaville to Libreville

Nairobi to Lusaka

North & South Corridor Brazzaville to Kinshasa

KEY TRADE CORRIDORS

RWANDA North Corridor

BURUNDI

TRADE CORRIDORS WITH DP PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS

Key Trade in Africa

Huge opportunities and markets are awaiting to be unlocked in Africa. Make optimal use of our DP World corridors and infrastructure to open up these fast-growing markets, and start selling your products tomorrow.

ETHIOPIA

Kigali to Dar es Salaam

Brazzaville to Kinshasa

Mtwara Corridor

MALAWI

North & South Corridor

ZAMBIA

NAMIBIA

Walvis Bay to Zambia

Nacala Corridor

ZIMBABWE BOTSWANA Komatipoort Maputo to Gauteng Walvis BayGauteng

PORT-CENTRIC LOGISTICS With experience in logistics, and specialising in warehousing (both temperaturecontrolled and general cargo), crossdocking operations, vehicle import and export logistics, clearance processing and freight forwarding services, SSL is a reliable, trustworthy and time-bound logistics partner that you can bank upon.

Moreover, supporting clients with endto-end business solutions, the company also has the ability to help clients to enter markets in India, Pakistan, Africa and other territories where there vast opportunities and tremendous growth potential. It achieves this through what it calls ‘Port-

The Zone

Centric Logistics Solutions’, assisting clients in moving into new sizeable markets (around two billion people) with young and growing populations.

“There are a number of countries that offer vast opportunities but also many challenges in regards of access to these markets, and difficult and complex supply chains to import and exports goods,” says Kraak. “In recent years DP World has been investing and expanding its footprint in many of these surrounding key markets, and SSL is basically using and combining all of these DP World dots on the map to create a complete end-to-end journey from and to these markets. We call it Port-Centric Logistics,

Eswatini to Maputo

as it’s predominantly using DP Worlds Ports infrastructure serving sea freight customers and their supply chains.

“An excellent example of how SSL supports food and beverage clients with an end-to-end solution is the import of rice out of northern India. By using the ICD in Paniput and domestic on-forwarding capabilities connecting Paniput with Mundra Terminal, we can overcome the various challenges of logistics within India.

From Mundra, we will continue the journey onto Jebel Ali and then deliver anywhere in the UAE and GCC, all through SSL.” ESWATINI

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Logistics

Saudi Arabia AL JAWF

07 03

NORTHERN BORDERS

TABUK

SEA PORTS Neom

HA'IL

AIRPORTS

Jubail

Dammam

AL QASIM

Arabian Gulf

JEBEL ALI PORT

AL MADINAH

Yanbu

UAE AL RIYADH King Abdullah Port

MAKKAH

EASTERN PROVINCE

Jeddah

Key Trade in Saudi Arabia

Distribute your goods efficiently, fast and secure into Saudi Arabia by Air, Short-Sea and by Truck

ASIR

Abha

NAJRAN

MASTER OF ALL TRADES SSL offers a wide range of services and storage solutions, allowing clients, for instance, to utilise its cold store with freezing temperatures, cool store with an ambient climate, and multiple regular warehouses for dry cargo. Alternatively, the company offers extensive yard space for outdoor storage of all kind of commodities and vehicles.

Indeed, SSL is the master of all trades when it comes to serving its supply chain partners and customers, covering everything from warehousing and freight forwarding through to international shipping and distribution.

can take good care of its clients’ businesses, helping them to grow and expand across the Middle East and beyond.

FREIGHT HANDLING AND FORWARDING SSL’s comprehensive end-to-end freight handling and forwarding services include Clearance Processing (Customs Clearance); Sea Freight; Trucking (domestic and GCC services); Air Freight; and Sea-to-Air Solutions. This broad range of logistics services and port infrastructure means that the company

TRUCKING AND DISTRIBUTION A diverse range of trucks and extensive trucking equipment, together with experienced staff and operators, are dedicated towards effective delivery and execution of clients’ individual distribution needs. A 24/7 fully-automated IT system ensures that all aspects of the distribution chain work flawlessly and efficiently.

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CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION The company’s proven cross-docking container and cargo operations services and combines all transportation modes sea freight, air freight and trucking from and into containers, including lashing, bracing and securing of cargo. SSL ensure quality precision handling, fast rotation and deliveries of clients’ products to their intended customers and destinations.

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Logistics

WAREHOUSING AND SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS SSL’s food and agriculture accredited temperature-controlled storage units (both ambient and cold stores), with nine different cells and temperature zones, are deployed to ensure optimum storage of temperature-sensitive and perishable goods.

All warehouses are tailored to handle large inventories for both short-term and long-term storage and are an ideal solution for when clients need to read customers in the UAE, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

For petrochemical and commodity industry clients, SSL has large quay yard storage areas that cater to various industries, including food and beverage.

The yards are equipped with all of the cranes, forklifts and other heavy operating, handling and lifting equipment necessary.

All warehouse operations are controlled and executed through a high-end and real-time WMS inventory management system.

Of course, being based in Jafza is a major boon to the ongoing success of SSL, with Kraak explaining: “Both the regulatory and IT infrastructure, combined with the unmatched connectivity of Jafza through Jebel Ali Port, makes it an ideal location for trade and a strategic logistics hub for the region. Everything is extremely well organised and very business-friendly to investors, traders and logistics companies.”

The company also has the ability to help clients to enter markets in India, Pakistan, Africa and other territories

ALBERT KRAAK, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, SMART SOLUTIONS LOGISTICS (SSL)

SSL delivers neutrally port-centric logistics solutions to its clients in Dubai and the wider UAE

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Logistics

The vision at SSL is to ‘lead the future of world trade’ LEADING THE FUTURE OF TRADE The vision at SSL is to ‘lead the future of trade’. “It’s a bold vision, and I fully believe in this vision and this strategy.

Naturally, there will always be challenges, the most recent being the Covid-19 pandemic, but SSL has done everything possible to meet this challenge and come out of the other side in a healthy and strong position. And a lot of this comes down to the company’s enlightened philosophy and a ‘can-do’ attitude, with Kraak stating: “Honestly, every problem brings opportunities and by looking to the Covid-19 pandemic from a positive perspective, we could eventually benefit from this unfortunate event and make the

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best use of its opportunities. Believe it or not, we could manage to jump our revenues close to 30% year-over-year by focusing on the positive sides of the equation. Of course, it brought us challenges, and we had to quarantine people, work remotely and from home, but we overcame all of these challenges and got out stronger and more agile than ever. We have a bright future, and we believe the right recipe for success.”

ADDING VALUE TO EVERY ASSIGNMENT As with all successful companies, SSL’s greatest asset is its workforce, a team of people committed to exceeding client expectation every single day. “We have excellent people and benefit from the

availability of a large pool of highly skilled and experienced people working in the logistics sector in Dubai,” says Kraak.

“As we are handling a very large number of containers each month, we have learned throughout the years to optimise our operations in such a way that it creates real value for customers by carrying out our logistics fast, securely and efficiently with maximum output and minimal use of labour.

“The company’s key core value, and the key to our success, is our strategy to provide neutrally port-centric logistics to the market, encompassing value-added and complimentary services in order to ensure the market can grow and flourish using the Jebel Ali eco-system to the maximum.”

SSL’s multitude of logistics and supply chain management services ensure that wherever the destination of clients’ products might be, the goods will reach the desired location efficiently and cost-effectively.

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Logistics

daimler

Extraordinary Vehicles for Extraordinary Customers DAIMLER COMMERCIAL VEHICLES MENA (DCV MENA) OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF DAIMLER TRUCKS AND BUSES, CONSISTING OF FUSO AND MERCEDES-BENZ BRAND VEHICLES. ESTABLISHED IN 2001 AS ONE OF THE FIRST COMPANIES IN JAFZA, IT IS EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS AND RIGHT VEHICLES FOR EVERY APPLICATION AND EVERY DAILY TRANSPORT TASK. The FUSO range mainly focuses on light and medium-duty trucks with some heavy-duty truck models. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Trucks focuses on medium and heavy trucks. The vehicles are used for all major applications such as distribution, long haulage, construction, oil and gas, waste management, extra heavy-duty or extreme off-road.

The most prominent Mercedes-Benz truck in the region is the Actros. The latest generation of Actros is the world’s first series-produced truck to have a partially automated assistance system. It can be ordered with the Active Brake Assist 5 which can perform emergency braking when approaching stationary and moving objects. ABA5 can also perform partial or full braking for moving pedestrians in certain conditions up to a vehicle speed of 50 km/h – which not only improves safety for the driver but also for others on the road.

This system is exclusively available on Mercedes-Benz trucks and underlines the importance of safety systems for the brand.

“In Jafza, we also host the MercedesBenz Regional Logistics Centre (RLC),” explains Kay-Wolf Ahlden, President and CEO of DCV MENA, “which stocks tens of thousands of Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts to distribute across the GCC, including Yemen, Iraq and Pakistan.

From Jafza we also stock and distribute tens of thousands of parts out of the FUSO Regional Logistics Centre.”

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KAY-WOLF AHLDEN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF DCV MENA

DCV MENA attributes the popularity of its products to brand trust, proven reliability, and customer confidence in its business partners.

“We produce vehicles that offer our customers cutting-edge technology and help them focus on their core business, as our dealers in the market take care of their needs with customised products and service solutions,” says Ahlden.

“The Daimler product portfolio offers a wide range of products for all kinds of transport tasks. The products most commonly used for transportation in the F&B industry are the Canter from FUSO for short-distance distribution, as well as the new Actros from Mercedes-Benz for long haulage transportation. The Canter is the most popular product in the FUSO line-up. The word ‘Canter’ is synonymous with the light distribution segment and maintains leadership across several markets, including the UAE. The Canter stands for ergonomics and powerful performance, and it offers the lowest fuel consumption in its segment. The Actros has state-ofthe-art safety features, like the Active Brake Assist 5, and MirrorCam, which replaces traditional external mirrors with cameras. It has the lowest total cost of ownership in its class,” Ahlden concludes.

The most prominent Mercedes-Benz truck in the region is the Actros, offering outstanding safety technology to its customers.

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Manufacturing

Nestlé

The Good Food, Good Life Company NESTLÉ, WHOSE ORIGINS DATE BACK TO THE 1866, IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANY AND IS COMMITTED TO UNLOCKING THE POWER OF FOOD TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE, TODAY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. IN THE UAE, NESTLÉ OPERATES FOUR FACTORIES, AS WELL AS HAVING ITS MENA HEAD OFFICE LOCATED IN DUBAI, AND THROUGH ITS REGIONAL OPERATIONS HUB EXPORTS CLOSE TO 100,000 METRIC TONS OF GOODS TO AROUND 30 COUNTRIES EVERY YEAR; PRIMARILY TO 19 MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA COUNTRIES, PLUS OTHERS IN ASIA, OCEANIA, EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. The company produces a variety of coffee mixes, such as Nescafé 3 in1, and culinary products that include MAGGI bouillon and MAGGI soups. In addition, it manufactures milk powder (NIDO and NAN3), as well as to Kit-Kat and Macintosh Quality Street. Nestlé also has two water factories manufacturing Nestlé Pure Life water bottles, plus home and office offers.

Across the four factories, Nestlé employs over 1,200 personnel, and its state-of-the-art facilities follow the highest quality and safety standards, in addition to the latest smart technologies. And as you would expect of such a global leader, everything is in line with the company’s stringent environmental and sustainability commitments.

RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC In such challenging and fast-changing times, millions of people around the world rely on food manufacturers to provide them with the food and beverage products that they need. Since the start of the pandemic, the company’s priority has been to maintain production continuity and supply all of its foods, pet foods and beverages to consumers, even under the most testing conditions. As a result, all four of its factories in the UAE remained fully operational during the lockdown period.

Moreover, in addition to its strict hygiene measures, Nestlé has added new protocols and measures to its workplaces. Some of these measures include putting in place temperature screening machines to be

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used by employees before they enter their place of work, while also maintaining social distancing and the highest levels of hygiene and food safety across all of its factories.

The company has also added new enhanced routines of daily deep cleaning of meeting rooms and workstations, which includes the cleaning of common areas with sanitisation every 30 minutes.

CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY In an ongoing drive to tackle evolving needs stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, Nestlé has enhanced manufacturing at its two food and two water factories in the UAE to meet the increased demand on certain essential products. The company has also donated 200,000 food and beverage servings to relief efforts run by entities including the Dubai Health Authority, provided 60,000 face masks to hospitals, and supported local initiatives such as the Emirates Red Crescent ‘Homeland Fund’.

Furthermore, the company’s various divisions are contributing with their diverse areas of expertise. Nestlé Professional, for instance, continues to offer pragmatic support to its business partners in the hospitality industry, as they reopen to welcome back their customers. This is being done through its ‘Always Open for You’ initiative, which has benefited over 600 foodservice outlets in the UAE. This has been achieved by providing over 125,000 Nescafé cups, payment term extensions, coffee machine rental fees suspensions, and the provision of free products, training, marketing and other services.

The local efforts are part of Nestlé mobilisations in the MENA region supporting more than 30 entities in 17 countries, where the company has so far impacted more than 100,000 families and donated 10 million food and beverage servings as part of an ongoing donations campaign.

In the UAE, Nestlé operates four factories

The Zone

Manufacturing

Through its regional operations hub exports close to 100,000 metric tons of goods to around 30 countries every year

Nestlé has enhanced manufacturing at its two food and two water factories in the UAE to meet the increased demand on certain essential products

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Innovation & Technology

Cogri

Getting it Right, First Time CONSTRUCTING A HIGH-QUALITY COLD STORE FLOOR FOR OPERATING TEMPERATURES DOWN TO -30°C IS HIGHLY SPECIALISED WORK; NOT LEAST BECAUSE ONCE THE FACILITY BECOMES OPERATIONAL ANY REMEDIAL WORK CAN BE A MAJOR HINDRANCE TO THE RUNNING OF THE BUSINESS AS MOST REPAIR MATERIALS CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE BELOW 5OC. THIS MEANS THAT THE FACILITY HAS TO BE PUT OUT OF ACTION AND THE TEMPERATURE RAISED FOR ANY REPAIRS TO BE PERFORMED. SO IT’S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION THAT COGRI MIDDLE EAST PUTS TOTAL EMPHASIS ON GETTING THE FLOOR RIGHT, FIRST TIME!

The company knows how best to design out the inherent faults that many designers still implement today

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The Zone

Innovation & Technology

CoGri has come a long way since its first project in the Middle East in 1998 and, to accommodate the everincreasing demand for its construction services, CoGri Middle East LLC (CGME) was formed in 2011. A part of the UK based CoGri Group, which has 30 years of global experience in the design, construction and upgrading of industrial concrete floors, the company has completed numerous projects across a variety of market sectors, including the vitally important food and beverage sector. Indeed, guaranteeing superior workmanship and a high-value solution every time, CGME has become the ‘go-to’ contractor for discerning clients who can’t afford to compromise.

one of Union Properties’ best freezer stores, with no maintenance issues. In fact, this particular job remains a good reference point for CGME’s capabilities and skill-set.

This level of expertise is fuelled by the fact that CGME repair floors too, and understand the design stages involved with industrial floor construction. Consequently, the company knows how best to design out the inherent faults that many designers still implement today. Once a food store/ freezer store is operational, the owner/ operator cannot shut the facility down (in part or whole) to have timely and expensive repairs done. This is why CGME prides itself in ‘getting it right, first time’, with a long list of satisfied clients as testament to this.

AVOIDING COSTLY DAMAGE TO GOODS When a client has an existing facility and needs floor joints repaired or the flatness upgrading for VNA operation, CGME’s three decades worth of experience in this industry enables it to perform the essential works with minimal inconvenience.

African + Eastern for example, one of the UAE’s two leading beverage importers and retailers, moved into a refurbished facility several years ago. The company had racking installed, but found that when trucks delivered to the site, they were hitting the racking at only a few metres of elevation. CGME laser ground the floor and repaired some problematic joints. The end result was that the client was able to operate its trucks at optimum efficiency and avoid costly damage to goods.

REDUCING DISRUPTION In a part of the world where cold storage and distribution is essential but costly (due to energy costs), CGME has a wealth of experience and knowledge, with the ability to minimise any disruptions to clients’ activities.

In 2016, for instance, CGME designed and built a floor slab for Union Properties in its Al Quoz, Dubai facility. The freezer store was constructed within an old existing warehouse, with CGME creating a sub-slab on which the insulation was placed, and then laid the top slab to the required surface tolerance and finish. This facility remains

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CGME carried out a similar job for Falcon Pack, laser grinding an existing floor slab to VNA tolerance compliance.

The client, which manufactures food packaging (foils, bags, cling film, etc.) was delighted with the result and has since awarded the company other work, including floor repairs and wire guidance.

The laser grinding system is a clean, dustfree process that returns the floor back to the client immediately and only occupies one aisle at a time, meaning that usual operations can continue as normal.

COST-EFFECTIVE CWT-SML, a global 3PL offering a range of storage solutions, including outside container storage, ambient storage and temperature controlled warehouses had a serious problem several years ago, with CGME coming to the rescue. CGME were called in to repair the wide damaged joints in a floor at CWT’s Jafza South facility, where beverage and luxury items were stored. This drastically lowered the client’s damaged goods inventory, and so had a short return on investment period.

CGME has been active throughout the region, with its reputation for fast, professional and friendly customer service helping it to win many projects through word-of-mouth and return business.

25 years of global experience in the design, construction and upgrading of industrial concrete floors Back in 2016, CGME was awarded the design and construction contract for a 14,500m2 floor slab for Shahini Distribution (now Etmam Logistics) in Riyadh. The floor was constructed in large panels using steel fibres to provide a ‘jointless’ solution. Then, for the VNA truck safe operation within the aisles, laser grinding was performed. The client was offered all the potential options from the start and opted for the fast-track methodology, meaning they could open for business as early as possible. This project remains a good reference project for CGME and is proof of its commitment to quality and delivering a high standard.

CGME provides optimal solutions across a broad range of scenarios, including performing work in operational freezer stores and overcoming the usual constraints of working in sub-zero temperatures. So whatever the challenge, contact CGME today. You’ll be made very welcome.

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Country Focus

Jafza Strikes a Strategic Agreement with The Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce JAFZA AND THE FEDERATION OF ISRAELI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE (FICC) HAVE SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) FOLLOWING THE NORMALISATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UAE AND ISRAEL. IT IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC COOPERATION, WITH SULTAN AHMED BIN SULAYEM, GROUP CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF DP WORLD, AND URIEL LYNN, PRESIDENT, FICC, SIGNING THE AGREEMENT VIRTUALLY.

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Country Focus

“In the first quarter of 2020, the UAE’s GDP amounted to AED 368.52 billion”

As part of the MOU, both nations will deploy all efforts to boost the expansion of contacts and foster new ties between partners of the UAE and Israel with an aim to promote trade. Both Jafza and the FICC will also share crucial information about new developments regarding economic relations between the countries, including regulations and plans, and possibilities in terms of economic planning.

A TRAILBLAZING MOVE Emphasising the significance of this endeavour, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem explained: “The recent development in the UAE’s and Israel’s bilateral agreements has opened up new avenues in an array of sectors. We at DP World, welcome this trailblazing move that will provide boundless growth opportunities. The establishment of direct ties between two dynamic and advanced economies in the Middle East will undoubtedly provide impetus to economic growth, transforming the business landscape in the UAE. Israel has phenomenal innovation and technological capabilities, whereas the UAE holds a prime position in the world of global trade and is one of the greatest business hubs in the world.

“According to the World Bank, the UAE is ranked fifth in the world with a gross domestic product purchasing power per capita of $74,000 (AED 271,580).

And our growth figures demonstrate this. In fact, in the first quarter of 2020,

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“The diplomatic breakthrough has paved a way to spur economic growth in both countries” SULTAN AHMED BIN SULAYEM GROUP CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF DP WORLD AND CHAIRMAN OF PORTS, CUSTOMS AND FREE ZONE CORPORATION

the country’s GDP amounted to AED 368.52 billion. We are hopeful that these figures will see a significant rise as this alliance has tremendous potential. We are optimistic that this agreement will bolster businesses and amplify trade in the UAE, Israel, and the wider region.”

A HISTORIC EVENT Adv. Uriel Lynn, President, FICC, said: “The signing of the MOU with Jafza is a historic event that will go down in history as an example what can be achieved in our world if two countries are bent on creating more prosperity for their people.

It will be a mutually advantageous for Dubai and the Israeli business community, as more businesses will utilise the developed facilities and services in Jafza and create a bridgehead for the Israeli business sector to enhance its foreign trade in products and services.

“The message of peace will take a form of working together for the people of both countries.The diplomatic breakthrough has paved a way to spur economic growth in both countries. Trade ties will definitely benefit both sides as Israel and the UAE have an enviable list of achievements and great potential, and we hope to utilise this prowess to boost growth. We share a similar outlook with Jafza, regarding opportunities and the commitment to promote economic stability. Our main goal is to create a forum to promote economic cooperation and create new opportunities for businesses in both countries. Strengthening business ties and enhancing collaboration over time is also one of the primary objectives.

We hope this partnership will propel both countries to an all-new level of prosperity.”

This historic agreement will see both the UAE and Israel exchange information on prospects for market research, trade fairs and exhibitions and trade missions organised in their respective countries. They will also collaborate in organising lectures, symposiums and other events that enhance economic relations between the countries.

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DEVELOPED TO KEEP YOU GOING. Available in United Arab Emirates via German Gulf Enterprises.

Discover more on www.germangulf.com

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FOOD & BEVERAGE The Zone

SPECIAL REPORT

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A MAJOR GATEWAY FOR FOODSTUFFS, LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURE In line with its long-term vision, Jafza continues to evolve as a business focused on partnerships. Within the food and agricultural commodities sector, Jafza has attracted some of the world’s leading companies, such as Nestle, Heinz, Unilever, Mars, Hunter Foods, Bayara, Al Khaleej Sugar, Alokozay, and Gulf Seafood, all of whom take advantage of the free zone’s wide range of services, facilities and benefits.

In total, with a dedicated food and agriculture cluster of 1.57 million sqm, Jafza is home to over 550 companies from more than 70 countries, employing over 6,000 people. Geographically, 38% of these companies are from the Middle East, 23% from Asia, 19% from Europe, 10%, 8% from North America, and 1% from both South America and Oceania.

A Major Gateway for Global Trade Jafza is building on its track-record as the region’s hub for this crucial sector of the economy, attracting more food and agricultural businesses as it continues to bolster its status as a preferred destination. It recorded a total trade growth of 24% and an increase of 7% in its customer base year-on-year in 2019.

As the foremost GGC free zone, Jafza is committed to supporting food and agricultural companies in what is a rapidly evolving industry landscape with solutions that are designed to reduce cost, while improving the ease of doing business. It is wellpositioned to support the sector’s predicted growth through its customer-

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centric solutions and services, not least in assisting companies in developing distinct new products and commodities to suit different tastes and preferences across the globe.

is available. We have ensured business continuity and a prompt recovery for the post-Covid-19 economy.”

Strategic Solutions

This portfolio of services, which allows companies to take advantage of a broad array of solutions, illustrates both Jafza’s and Dubai’s role as a major gateway for global trade. The emirate’s external food trade volumes in the first half of this year, for instance, reached nine million tonnes, worth AED32 billion in total. In contrast, Dubai’s food imports touched AED22 billion.

Jafza and DP World, UAE Region are committed to strengthening Dubai’s long-term pledge to sustain the growth and development of regional trade.

Thanks to Jafza’s strategic location close to Jebel Ali Port, it offers connectivity to over 3.5 billion consumers. In 2019, Jafza supported more than 4,500 port customers, implementing solutions that were innovative, cost-effective and value-driven.

“Commenting on the financial results, Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director of DP World, UAE Region and CEO of Jafza, said: “We have explored ways to further facilitate food trade and distribution while maintaining the continuity of food supply, which is crucial to the UAE and the region. Our mandate is to prioritise the needs of citizens and residents, and we have worked towards sustainability, ensuring sufficient food

Within the foodstuffs, livestock and agricultural sector, Jafza is the preferred partner for many countries, including Brazil, the USA, Pakistan, Netherlands and South Africa, from which it imports sugar, meat, cocoa, and dairy products. Iraq, India and Saudi Arabia are among the top export destinations, with coffee, tea, fruits, spices and dairy products amongst the most sought-after commodities.

Its ties with India have allowed it

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JAFZA WITNESSED SURGE OF 24% IN FOOD & AGRICULTURE TRADE LEADING BUSINESS AND LOGISTICS HUB 1.57 million sqm of Food & Agriculture cluster 7% growth in customers (2019 vs 2018)

24% total trade growth (2019 vs 2018)

FOOD & AGRICULTURE SERVICES Pre-built warehouses for high quality storage Advanced packaging solutions for processing final raw products

GLOBAL APPEAL Registering over 550 companies from more than 70 countries Offering connectivity to over 3.5 billion consumers

KEY DIFFERENTIATOR Halal Incubation Centre: Encourages traders to launch their Halal business in Dubai

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to engage with food and agricultural businesses that want to expand outside of their home country, presenting them with an extensive assortment of strategic solutions on offer. These include, but are not limited to, plug-and-play platforms, end-to-end supply chain solutions, value-added services, and an investment platform.

These opportunities are available to customers due to Dubai developing a made-for-trade eco-system that offers a robust infrastructure for global businesses and a transparent regulatory environment that encourages success. Through its strategic location and exceptional multimodal connectivity, Dubai effortlessly connects India’s exports to new frontiers.

Pushing Back Boundaries Jafza administers a comprehensive selection of industry-specific value-added services, including packaging, storage, bagging and sorting, stuffing, palletising, and transportation. It also provides bonded and non-bonded zones that support farm-toshelf supply chain activities, common user facilities for tea and coffee trading and processing, as well as sugar, grains, pulses, meat, edible oil, seeds, and other ready-to-consume food items. It is home to the world’s largest port-based sugar refinery too.

Moreover, Jafza continues to move forwards, pushing back boundaries to set new benchmarks and provide new, innovative services.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, it has committed to making day-to-day business more straightforward for investors and companies by introducing smart services from Dubai Trade.

These include the ‘E-Delivery Order’ to allow supply chain stakeholders to handle their complex import processes, and ‘ZADI’, a pioneering unified food import platform aimed at facilitating the import and re-export of food shipments throughout Dubai ports.

These services are accessible online to minimise the need for manual transactions and personal visits.

Jafza has also launched a Halal Incubation Centre to encourage traders to start their halal businesses in Dubai and expedite their end-to-end halal food supply chain.

The Centre will nurture innovative companies in their pursuit to become scalable and sustainable business enterprises in the halal sector.

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Pioneering Initiatives The food industry is highly diverse and contains several fundamental components, each adding distinct value to the whole food chain by improving sustainability and producing better products.

The current challenge, of course, is to achieve commercial success with a focus to enhance energy savings while securing social and environmental performances. Companies based in Jafza can take advantage of many initiatives created to help them meet these objectives and obligations. Many of these initiatives are genuinely pioneering too, with food and agricultural businesses, for instance, being able to benefit from advanced packaging solutions, and avail themselves of pre-built warehouses for high-quality storage.

Complementing this forwardlooking business scope, Jafza has launched the ‘Jafza Customer Support Initiative’, which offers a 50%-70% reduction of registration, licensing and related administration functions fees. This is also available for new investors. Furthermore, a range of online services is provided free of cost as a direct result of Jafza’s on-going digitalisation process.

Dubai’s food imports touched AED22 billion in the first half of this year

Nevertheless, they do not want to lose flavour or eat unhealthy options, and the food industry will continue to evolve to meet these customer preferences.

Such valuable initiatives aim to support all of the 8,000 businesses that operate out of Jafza and hundreds of new companies attracted by the premier free zone’s plug-and-play infrastructure and solutions for trade.

A Unique Trade Eco-System Several factors intensify the demand in the global food industry, such as population levels, wealth distribution, health awareness, and different types of lifestyles. The food and agricultural supply drivers include the quality of the supply chain, level of competition in the industry, and the composition of the target consumer-base.

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The future of the food and agricultural sector, though, can be defined in two words – personalised wellness. This means that food today is not only about nutrition but about emotional health too. With this in mind, the new technologies that are emerging are being developed to give consumers a personalised experience. Consumers want foods that are convenient, quick to prepare and inexpensive.

The ‘Jafza Customer Support Initiative’ offers a 50%-70% reduction of registration, licensing and related administration functions fees

Naturally, this will mean companies taking advantage of not just the finest technology, but also the most suitable partners, employees and locations. And for many companies in the Middle East and beyond, this is where Jafza comes in. For this world-leading free zone has become a crucial aspect of this evolution and expansion, attracting both foreign direct investment (FDI) and also local companies by providing a unique trade eco-system that reduces cost, while facilitating new growth opportunities.

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