AD Ports Group has partnered with the Ghassan Aboud Group to establish what is billed as one of the region’s largest wholesale food trading and logistics hubs. The project is taking shape in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) and is being undertaken in collaboration with Rungis International Market. The latter is said to be one of the largest wholesale fresh food markets in the world, with a turnover of over $10bn.
Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), chairman of Logistics Sector Development Committee in Abu Dhabi, said: “Food security and safety are among the top priorities of the UAE, and this major new trade hub will drive efficiencies in food supply chains and help improve safety, affordability and sustainable access for wholesalers in the UAE. At ADDED, we are keen to support the launch of the ‘Regional Food Hub – Abu Dhabi’ which enhances public-private partnership, as part of our wider work to achieve a knowledge-based, diversified, and sustainable economy.”
According to a statement, the ‘Regional Food Hub – Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Rungis’, will bring together wholesale buyers, sellers, logistics players, consolidators, and distributors from across the world, enhancing the diversity of all food categories available for consumers in the UAE and wider region. The project was announced at the official project launch ceremony held on-site in Kizad.
The project will partner with the world’s leading wholesale market players to ensure the services, facilities and systems are world-class and the site is sustainable, hygienic and a zero-waste ecosystem to cater to post-pandemic requisites. It will facilitate trade across proteins, seafood, pulses and rice, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, dry foods and fresh flowers. Food companies from all countries can offer their products and buyers will have a selection of thousands of fresh items managed in a safe, clean environment positioning the UAE as an important part of evolving global food supply chains, the statement explained.
Covering a land area of 3.3sqkm in Kizad, the project’s ecosystem will feature trading pavilions, logistics services, refrigerated and ambient warehouses, critical government services, waste recycling facilities and various other support amenities and services. It is designed to accelerate the government’s National Food Security Strategy and enhance food trade flow through Abu Dhabi. By lowering the overall supply chain costs of food products, the food hub will provide a competitive ecosystem for both local and global players.
AD Ports Group managing director and CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi stressed the importance of this project, and its role in supporting the UAE’s efforts to be number one on the Global Food Security Index by 2051.
He explained, “The development of new resources such as this, which will bring together leading local and global suppliers, supporting them with advanced innovation and world-class infrastructure, is testament to AD Ports Group’s commitment to facilitate food trade in line with the key objectives of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy that was launched by our wise leadership in 2018. Our partnership with Ghassan Aboud Group is an important step towards promoting public-private collaboration and aligns our efforts to support the food sector by utilising the world-class infrastructure and logistics in Kizad, in addition to our advanced technological capabilities that enhance food safety and security.”
Founder and chairman Ghassan Aboud noted, “We are committed to investing in the food value chain in the UAE and we are confident that our partnership with the AD Ports Group will mark a pioneering step in the UAE’s food processing and distribution sector. The readily available infrastructure and value-added services will provide an integrated ecosystem for local and global food commodity providers and deploy cutting-edge digital technology to promote food-related innovation.”
Rungis chairman & CEO Stéphane Layani concluded, “We believe that the challenges seen during the COVID-19 crisis call for supply chain management in which wholesale markets play a strategic role. Our ambition, working with strong and recognized public and private partners in Abu Dhabi over the years, is to create a network of wholesale markets able to connect with each other in a very unique global network which will provide additional tremendous strength to food supply chains and ensure critical food security. With our support and the leadership of our partners, the development of this new generation of infrastructure in Abou Dhabi will make it possible.”
