Mergers, acquisitions and structural changes within an organization can create vast anxieties amongst employees and the future of the company. These anxieties include job security, team structures, reporting and business focus. This creates a lot of frustration and demotivation amongst teams and functions which could easily lead to business failure, due to not delivering. That is why communications and connection is a key element that can steer this anxiety, throughout its various stages towards a safe and secure environment. Organizations need to communicate the leadership vision and focus in a clear and transparent manner with employees, to connect and cascade the future vision of the organization. Whether this communication means disappointment or relief for certain individuals, that is not the point, the point is to have the overall workforce aligned on the way forward and avoid vagueness. Today at **Mair**, we are clear with our focus on our 3 verticals. Empowering ADCOOP to become a food retail hub for the UAE, and a strong pillar in the country’s food security strategy. Growing Makani into becoming a prime commercial real estate entity that adds and develops the infrastructure of the UAE, as well as the investment vertical that we are keen to grow in order to compliment both ADCOOP and Makani, from food production and white label food product entities to developers and facility management companies.

According to the recent UAE Grocery Sector Report from Oliver Wyman last July 2023, almost 60% of UAE customers would be interested in shopping at a discount retailer, savings and value shopping is considered paramount, where satisfaction is driven by value (price and promotions) for 53%, 20% by quality, 18% by range and to 9% by service. An interesting finding was that more than 90% of respondents deliberately seek fruit & vegetables produced in the UAE, showcasing their trust in local produce. The survey also found that 60% of UAE respondents expressed interest in getting access to more services and offers through loyalty schemes, with F&B, payments and healthcare service being the most interesting options.

Abu Dhabi Co-Op (ADCOOP), the UAE’s leading food retailer celebrated the graduation of 30 Emirati students from the 2nd ADCOOP Retail Operations apprenticeship program. The program which is in partnership with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (NAFIS) and the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), is in line with the UAE National Talent Development Strategy and a key Emiratization initiative aimed at shaping the future of Emirati talent within the industry. The apprenticeship program which started in 2018, was launched to position ADCOOP as a strategic partner and a retail leader to employ UAE nationals with an objective to develop and train Emirati students from the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) who are studying Retail Operation Management. The program which had graduated 69 Emirati students, is designed in a practical and hands-on approach, which provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the retail floor operations and equips them with the necessary skills and real-life experience to enhance their performance.

According to the UAE National Strategy for Food Security, the objective is to make the UAE among the top 10 countries in the Global Food Security Index by 2051. It also aims to develop a comprehensive national system based on enabling sustainable food production by using modern technologies and enhance local production. This could be considered a very ambitious and bold goal to achieve, however the UAE has the foundations to reach this goal. Through various local food manufacturing and retail businesses thriving in the UAE, this can be achieved. At ADCOOP this goal is in the fabric of our existence. As a pioneer of the UAE’s food retail industry, ADCOOP’s focus is to partner with high-quality local suppliers and identify the right international food manufacturing suppliers to import a diverse range of food products and ensure their availability for all residents in the UAE. Furthermore, ADCOOP takes part of strategic collaborations with public and private sectors like Khalifa Fund and Abu Dhabi Municipality to enable us in supporting the local Emirati population with providing discounted essential food items building a dynamic ecosystem.