Abu Dhabi Farmers' Services Centre opens four new souq supermarkets

The stores were originally established by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan over 30 years ago as local marketing centres to ensure that farmers had a place to sell their vegetable produce. Now with souq, ADFSC is modernising and expanding the concept to provide an even broader range of local products for the consumers.

"The new stores will certainly showcase the local vegetables as before," said Chris Hirst, ADFSC's CEO. "But our plan is to take that to another level by specialising in other local farm products as varied as herbs, dates, honey, eggs, chicken and meat, all showcased through the Local Harvest brand."

Local Harvest is an ADFSC brand that showcases fresh and safe local products from Abu Dhabi farms and is being sold in a number of retailers through the UAE.

"The expanding network of souqs offers consumers more direct access to the fresh products coming from the Abu Dhabi Farms," said Hirst. "It will also increase awareness of the high quality and diversity of local goods."

ADFSC was established to support strategic agricultural reform to Abu Dhabi by providing technical and operational support services to farmers. In addition to helping them grow and raise products, the organisation helps farmers find market channels. The network of souqs is one platform that enables Abu Dhabi residents to help the emirate's farmers by buying these goods.

Hirst also noted that the Local Harvest brand will answer many of the calls for greater traceability in the food marketplace. "People want to know where their food comes from," he said. "With Local Harvest each product can be traced back to the specific farmer."

The stores' in-house butcheries will specialise in local meat, and for the first time in the UAE customers will be able to order a whole locally raised Arabian lamb or goat that the ADFSC will take care of slaughtering, butchering and packing into customised cuts. Moreover, there will be other specialties including free range eggs, duck, goose and rabbit, all local. These products will be available for seasonal periods throughout the year.

In addition to a wide array of high quality, fresh local goods, the stores will offer the full range of supermarket products. There will be a seafood counter, a bakery and a deli complete with prepared food. Billed as "Your Local Neighbourhood Supermarket," the souqs offer an array of choices on the level of big supermarkets and hypermarkets, and with the new stores opening this year these choices will be available to customers outside of the Abu Dhabi city centre.

"Many people who live in areas outside of Abu Dhabi have called ADFSC wondering where they can find Local Harvest and other local products," said Hirst. "The souq supermarkets will not only offer a wealth of local choices, but they will offer a wide variety of products to people who may normally have to drive long distances for that luxury."