By Mohammad A. Baker, Deputy Chairman and CEO of GMG
As a homegrown company, GMG stands firmly behind the UAE’s food security strategy – a critical national goal heightened by the recent upheavals in the global supply chain. We are helping advance national efforts to develop sustainable food production systems through modern technologies while enhancing local production.
Our 'Farm to Fork' strategy is the key driver for this vision, which covers the entire food consumption chain, from homegrown food brands to food retail stores that distribute a plethora of brands under the Everyday Goods division. In the food retail segment, we hold exclusive rights to expand well-known supermarket brands across most of the Middle East region. These include Géant, Franprix, Monoprix, and monop, which belong to the French retailing giant Groupe Casino. The recent acquisition of aswaaq that led to the addition of 22 supermarkets only added to GMG's rapidly growing retail network.
We believe in adopting a long-term vision that establishes us as a prominent player in this industry. Our current production infrastructure covers six product lines: meat, seafood, Himalayan pink salt, herbs and spices, sausages and cold cuts, and butchery and marination. These make up all our homegrown brands: Farm Fresh, Chef's Choice, Klassic, Sapora, Noor Al Islami, RUH, and Quality 1st Choice.
This year, we reached a remarkable milestone with the inauguration of four new factories, collectively ranking among the largest food production facilities in the UAE. Additionally, our world's second-largest fully automated Himalayan pink salt factory produces an impressive 200,000 kgs daily. Our production process is paired with a digitally-optimized logistics infrastructure. An advanced set of interconnected digital applications and tools aligned to create a seamless flow of goods from port to warehouse and finally the store and/or customer. All of this is monitored through a state-of-the-art command centre to ensure consistent service delivery.
GMG actively supports partners within the local food chain while aligning with our own vision. Our recent collaboration with Bustanica, the world's largest hydroponic farm, exemplifies this commitment, as they provide top-quality leafy greens to Géant Hypermarkets and UAE supermarkets, ensuring fresh and organic ingredients for our customers. Additionally, GMG has signed an MoU with Silal, a major ADQ holding company, fostering direct connections between consumers and farmers to enhance collaboration within the food sector.
The current trajectory builds on my father, Abdul Aziz Baker's legacy dating back to 1977. He set up a butchery in Dubai with a vision to enhance the quality of life for UAE residents by offering fresh meat, fish, and cold cuts. Since then, GMG has grown into a global retail and manufacturing conglomerate and a major private sector contributor to UAE's food security objectives. GMG is proud to be a part of a transformative change in the food production system that leverages sustainable practices and modern technology to enhance local production. We believe this is a collective responsibility we can achieve by working with stakeholders and partners with a shared vision of innovation and excellence in food production and retail.