Dubai: Geant, part of GMG, has announced a strategic partnership with Emirates Crop One, a joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) and Crop One, an industry leader in technology-driven indoor vertical farming.
The world’s largest hydroponic farm, Bustanica, will supply a new range of high quality leafy greens, including lettuce, arugula, mixed salad greens, and spinach to all Géant Hypermarkets and supermarkets across the UAE. Located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Bustanica’s 330,000 sq.ft. facility is geared to produce more than 1 million kilograms of high-quality leafy greens annually.
The partnership was announced in the presence of Marc Laurent, President, Retail – Consumer Goods, GMG and Kieran Dowd, General Manager - Emirates Crop One and Vice President Sourcing Solutions - Emirates Flight Catering, in Dubai Hills Mall’s Géant hypermarket.
“We are proud to announce our partnership with Emirates Flight Catering, which comes at a strategic time as the UAE government ramps up its plans to achieve its ambitious food security goals. This crucial partnership aligns with GMG’s vision to cover the entire food consumption chain from farm to fork. Through the GMG Food and GMG Consumer Goods divisions, we are committed to enhance and add value to our consumers’ well-being as we aim to become a leading marketer of local food products,” said Mohammed A. Baker, Deputy Chairman and CEO, GMG.
“We are delighted to offer Bustanica’s innovative and vertical farm produce to our customers and further exceed their expectations for high-quality fresh food products. Offering a large variety of locally sourced indoor-grown greens is yet another milestone in fulfilling our long-term commitment towards a more sustainable future,” said Marc Laurent, President, Retail – Consumer Goods, GMG.
Bustanica uses 95 percent less water than conventional farms and is driven by powerful technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence. A highly specialised in-house team ensures that the produce is super fresh and clean, and grown without pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals.
“Imagine fresh, crunchy, delicious, nutritious, chemical-free greens all year-round – that’s exactly the promise Bustanica delivers every single day. In fact, we recommend you eat the greens straight from the box, even washing will contaminate it! We believe the farm and the technology that drives it, is the future of agriculture and food security. We are proud to partner with Géant, a like-minded partner that is aligned with our commitments of bringing sustainable farming to a diverse customer base and contribute to the well-being of both our planet and people,” added Kieran Dowd, General Manager, Emirates Crop One.
Bustanica will have zero impact on the world’s threatened soil resources, an incredibly reduced reliance on water and year-round harvests unhampered by weather conditions and pests.
With the recent acquisition of the Geant supermarket chain in the UAE and expansion rights to the Geant, Monoprix, and Franprix brands in the Middle East, GMG is now a leading player in the food retail industry.
