Watch inside Dubai's brand-new Bloom Market, the largest refrigerated fruit and vegetable market in the area
In the midst of the sweltering summer, Dubai unveiled a cool oasis that will alter how locals buy fruits and vegetables in large quantities from the Al Aweer neighbourhood, which is home to the emirate's Central Fruit and Vegetable Market.
Welcome to the city's newest treasure: a modern, climate-controlled fruit and vegetable market across 66,000 square metres. The Bloom Market, which the Dubai Municipality claims to be the largest air-conditioned fruit and vegetable market in the area, was launched on Monday.
The Bloom Market in Ras Al Khor Industrial Area 3 was formally launched by Dawood Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality. Just one kilometre separates it from Dubai's Central Fruit and Vegetable Market, also known as Al Aweer.
Visitors entered the world of freshness as they walked the stalls, where many sorts of bright fruits and vegetables were heaped up neatly, all to the sound of African drum beats and chants. The expansive venue was filled with a joyful atmosphere as the municipality planned unique entertainment events and refreshments for the patrons and visitors on the opening day.
The new market has a leasable area of 7,600 sqm on the ground level for the sale of fruits and vegetables and 5,500 sqm for logistics, according to Mohammed Faraidooni, director of Markets at the Dubai Municipality. On the ground floor, 760 sellers have been given stalls to run fruit and vegetable markets.
Some of the produce is grown in the United Arab Emirates, therefore it is brought directly from the farm to the market. In order to distinguish this as a unique shopping destination, we also have exclusively imported fruits that are unavailable in other markets, according to Faraidooni.
complementary, not adversarial
According to him, the market offers clients top-notch services by abiding by international standards, offering luxury goods at reasonable costs, including a section for organic goods. According to the official, dealers must adhere to Dubai's food safety standards by offering competitive rates and implementing cutting-edge technology that ensure the quality and validity of vegetables and fruits.
He explained that firms in the hotel industry and regular consumers can buy fresh produce from the new market. "The uniqueness of this market is that it serves both business-to-consumer and business-to-business as well," he said.
The wholesale area for enterprises is distinct in the nearby open-air market, which has been operating for two decades.
Despite the variations in the amenities offered, both marketplaces, according to Faraidooni, are intended to enhance rather than compete with one another.
"We're completing the offer since there is still room for more traders and business on the market. Additionally, the fact that this market has an AC facility and parking is provided sets it apart from the previous one. Additionally, we offer both wholesale and retail sales under one roof.
a plan for growth
The official also disclosed plans to further renovate the historic Central Fruit and Vegetable Market, which underwent numerous improvements and additions, including the opening of a multi-story cold storage facility. By the end of the following month, a consultant would provide a feasibility assessment, after which higher officials will make a choice, he said.
"It's likely that a decision will be made to both expand and develop the current market. Therefore, this market may eventually grow as well.
According to Faraidooni, the municipality has not yet decided what kind of leasing would be done on the first level. The first story is still vacant, but the ground floor has been totally leased out with only a few traders still waiting to start up their businesses.
"For the first level, we have a number of proposals on the table. I'm not sure yet if we'll build a single, enormous shop there or set aside room for many shops like on the ground floor," he said.
The official, however, asserted that the proposal would unquestionably result in a market that offered a wider range of produce. We will include poultry, eggs, dates, and other dry fruits, but definitely not fish.
He continued by saying that there are plans to build cold storage facilities and roll out an app to sell market-fresh food online.
Shopping is simple.
Nas Group has been hired by the municipality to handle the facility's operations, logistics, and IT support. According to the municipality, the market provides a variety of logistics services that help customers by having staff members help with shopping carts, transport large purchases to customers' cars, park inside the market, and provide cleaning services that ease traffic and make shopping easy and convenient.
The new market, according to Faisal Rahman, who came there to buy wholesale supplies for a fruit and vegetable shop in Al Ain, would be more comfortable and convenient for customers.
But I still believe that the old market would be a fantastic place for us to buy wholesale products. For the sale of each category of fruits and vegetables, they have designated different blocks. I can see that each stall is presenting a variety of fresh products here.
traders and investors have hope
Two vendors who have hired stalls in the market are Deepa Hemamali from Sri Lanka and Anwar Hussain from Pakistan. They claimed that opening the stores in the new market was a wise investment.
Residents may shop conveniently at this market because to its many amenities. I believe there is no harm in charging Dh1 or Dh2 more for the things. We are hoping for successful business here. We appreciate the Dubai Municipality offering us three months of free rent, added Hussain.
Two investors, Abdalla Muhith and his brother-in-law Nahid Rahman, have travelled all the way from the UK. "We are some of the area's first investors. I have 42 stores compared to his 36," Muhith stated.
"My brother and I were born and raised in the UK, although our parents are originally from Bangladesh. Since we had never encountered something comparable in the UK or Europe, we made the decision to invest in this area. Such a sizable plant, reportedly the biggest in this region, is solely dedicated to fruits and vegetables. We have high hopes of succeeding in business here, he continued.
