Silal signs MoU with LuLu Group International to offer local fresh produce to consumers across the UAE

As part of its ongoing efforts to empower local farmers and increase the competitiveness of local produce, Silal, Abu Dhabi’s new fresh produce and agritech company, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LuLu Group, to provide consumers across the UAE with local fresh fruits and vegetables that are harvested in Abu Dhabi farms.

His Excellency Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, CEO of Silal, and Yusuff Ali M.A, LuLu Group Chairman and Managing Director, signed the MoU at a ceremony on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week’s first edition, in which Silal is the Associate sponsor. The signing ceremony was attended by H.E. Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; H.E. Engineer Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, Abu Dhabi Executive Council Member; H.E. Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD); H.E. Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director General of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority; H.E. Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD); H.E. Eng. Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation Ras Al Khaimah, Chairman of OneHive;  as well as senior officials from both organisations.

Commenting on the MoU, His Excellency Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, CEO of Silal, said: “Our partnership with LuLu Group will help us drive the distribution of diversified and high quality locally grown produce. This MoU comes as part of our remit to encourage sales and consumption of local farmers’ produce, to assure them a sustainable income while guaranteeing UAE consumers freshness from farm to shelf. It also reiterates our commitment to supply local fresh produce to the UAE people across leading retailers in the country, thereby achieving a key objective to support the UAE’s self-sufficiency and agricultural sector.”

Yusuff Ali M.A, LuLu Group Chairman and Managing Director, said: "At LuLu Group, we consider this collaboration as our national duty to open doors to Silal’s efforts to market agricultural produce grown in the UAE by local farmers. Around the world, the "grow local, eat local" movement is gaining ground and this not only supports the economy, but it is also about building a sustainable food eco-system.”

 Yusuff Ali M.A, added: “LuLu has a history of fruitful partnerships with leading companies in the UAE, such as Zayed Higher Organization which supports the People of Determination by opening our shelf space to them, as well as the annual festival celebrating Emirati products proudly in our hypermarkets. It is part of our continuous retail initiatives to promote the country’s homegrown brands and help achieve a strong economic status."

Under this MoU, LuLu Group will market Silal’s local fresh produce through its branches across the UAE, offering special shelf space to the company’s produce. Silal will continue offering its contracted farmers the opportunity to access markets within its network, while promoting local produce and enhancing its competitiveness.

Once harvested, the company uses sustainable packaging methods to ensure freshness, safety, and nutritional benefits of the produce, to make it more appealing to consumers.

Silal looks forward to signing up with more leading retailers to further support local farmers, who plant and harvest several nutritious fresh produces for our current and future generations.

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About Silal:

Silal is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy. Silal was established in September 2020 to diversify sources of food products and stimulate local manufactured and agri-food sectors. The company works in line with the Abu Dhabi Government’s directives to promote food supply and distribution in the emirate. Silal’s mandates include empowering the food and agricultural sector and local farmers in Abu Dhabi, as well as managing procurement programmes and strategic stocks of foodstuffs, in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA). The company also executes specialised knowledge transfer programmes on desert farming techniques, and devises research and development projects to support the increase in local production of fruits and vegetables for smallholder farmers in the UAE.

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About LuLu Hypermarket:

LuLu Hypermarket is the leading hypermarket & supermarket chain and the only Middle East retail group to be featured in Deloitte's annual 'Global Powers of Retailing 2021' survey*, for the MENA and Asian regions. Founded in the early nineties, it is present across the GCC, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Suriname and Egypt.  Serving more than 1,600,000 shoppers every day, it is the fastest growing retail chain across 10 countries and currently operates more than 219 stores with a multi-national staff force of more than 57,000. Since 2020, LuLu's carefully-structured expansion plan includes hypermarkets, express store-format smaller outlets and a vibrant online shopping platform.

(*based on 2019 data)

For more information, please contact: 
Mary Khamasmieh
Weber Shandwick
E: mkhamasmieh@webershandwick.com
Rawad Khattar
Weber Shandwick
E: RKhattar@webershandwick.com
Sara Abuhassira
Weber Shandwick
E: SAbuhassira@webershandwick.co

© Press Release 2021