Words by Firas Nasir, CEO of Organic Foods & Café and Co-CIO of the Gulf Japan Food Fund

The most consequential changes in business rarely announce themselves. They accumulate quietly in procurement decisions, in vendor reviews, and in sourcing conversations held far from the shop floor. What is happening inside UAE retail supply chains at the moment is exactly that kind of change. In the past, retailers across all formats built their vendor lists around established global suppliers who could deliver volume, compliance maturity, and operational consistency at scale. Local producers, by contrast, sometimes struggled to meet the benchmarks that major buyers required: reliable cold chain infrastructure, internationally recognised food safety certification, and the capacity to scale supply without compromising on delivery windows.

That gap has narrowed considerably, and the timing matters. Investment in UAE logistics infrastructure, including temperature-controlled warehousing, last-mile refrigerated delivery, and the development of alternative trade corridors, such as the Oman-UAE Green Corridor and the east coast ports of Khorfakkan and Fujairah, has given domestic suppliers a credible and sustainable path to retail shelves that simply did not exist half a decade ago.

The impact is most visible at retailers who made early commitments to domestic sourcing. For instance, Organic Foods and Cafe, which works with over 400 vendor partners across local and global supply chains, has tracked the evolution closely. Over the past four years, the composition of its vendor list has shifted meaningfully, with a clear move toward sourcing from closer geographies. This has improved product availability, reduced transit times, and meaningfully lowered the carbon footprint across key categories. The transitions have been most pronounced in beverages, fresh produce, and dairy, categories where domestic producers have invested seriously in quality and consistency. The products now earning space on shelves reflect genuine operational maturity, not simply a preference for local origin. Organic eggs from Risha Farms in Fujairah and fresh organic milk from Organiliciouz in Sharjah, both now stocked consistently, represent a generation of domestic suppliers that would not have met major retailer requirements a few years ago. Alongside them, homegrown brands, including ME Kombucha, Pure Harvest, Humantra, Nothing Silly, and Shake Your Plants, are finding sustained footing in channels that once defaulted to international names as a matter of course.

The broader retail sector is also responding. The Make it in the Emirates initiative, a government-led effort to boost domestic manufacturing and industrial investment initiative, has added meaningful policy weight to what was already becoming commercial common sense, with approved vendor lists across the industry being reviewed through a lens of supply chain resilience rather than simple cost optimisation. That recalibration has been sharpened further by recent events. Retailers who have already embedded local sourcing into their models have proved markedly better positioned to absorb the shock. Alternative freight channels were activated where necessary, but the businesses least exposed were those that had built domestic supplier relationships before disruption made it urgent.

Of course, challenges still remain. The shortage of organically certified local producers is a persistent gap, and the expectation from retailers has not softened, with domestic suppliers held to the same delivery, safety, and scalability standards as their international counterparts. But the pipeline of producers meeting that bar is growing, and the commercial argument has become difficult to dismiss. Faster turnaround, extended shelf life on domestic fresh goods, and meaningful resilience against freight volatility now outweigh the scale advantages that international suppliers once held unchallenged.

The restructuring of UAE retail around homegrown brands was already underway but the current geopolitical situation has expedited it to a new level. It is now being driven by hard commercial experience, enabled by maturing infrastructure, and supported by national policy. And the businesses that recognise it for what it is – a fundamental supply chain shift, not a sourcing trend – will be the ones who shape what UAE retail looks like in the decade ahead.

At At.mosphere, guests are welcomed to one of the city’s most coveted tables. High within the Burj Khalifa, dining takes on a rare stillness, with Dubai unfolding far below and the horizon dissolving into sky, creating a sense of scale that feels almost otherworldly.

At AED 155, the day moves through four distinct moments from morning to evening. No matter the hour, there’s a moment that fits.

Sunrise in the Sky – Breakfast
A slow start above the city with two organic eggs your style or fluffy pancakes with raspberry jam and vanilla Chantilly, alongside coffee as Dubai wakes beneath you.
Time: 8:00 am to 11:30 am

Business Lunch
A midday selection featuring roasted sea bream with black Venere rice or slow-cooked beef cheek with potato purée, finishing on something light.
Time: 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Afternoon Tea
Delicate sandwiches, warm English scones with jam and artisanal cream, and classic pastries served as the light shifts across the skyline.
Time: 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Golden Hour – Cocktails and Bites
Golden hour takes over with signature cocktails, curated bites, and a skyline that naturally draws you in.
Time: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

With the opening of its office at Munich Airport, the Bavarian-Arab Society is creating a one-of-a-kind contact point for Arab travelers right at the airport. The initiative aims to build a lasting bridge between Bavaria and the Arab world, as well as enhance the passenger experience for guests from this region by making it more personalized, comfortable, and culturally sensitive.

The society sees itself as a point of contact and an active mediator among passengers, airlines, the airport operator, the region, and business and tourism partners. Its approach is holistically aligned with the entire travel chain – from the moment passengers arrive at the airport through their stay in Munich and Bavaria.

Its services include, among other things, personal assistance for Arab guests at the airport, the promotion of cultural understanding, and the development of tailored service offerings such as “Meet & Assist.” The Bavarian-Arab Society works closely with Arab airline representatives and consulates to identify their needs and wishes, translating them into concrete improvements or further optimizing existing offerings.

The close connection between the society and Munich Airport, as well as the strategic importance of the Arab market, is also evident in the leadership structure at the highest level. Dr. Jan-Henrik Andersson, Munich Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Security Officer, is also the Bavarian-Arab Society’s president. Andersson and the society’s Vice President, Youssef El Aobaidi, will work together to ensure the continued success of the Bavarian-Arab Association.

Dr. Jan-Henrik Andersson said, “The opening of our new office sends a clear message: Arab guests are warmly welcomed at Munich Airport. This spirit of hospitality should be experienced throughout the entire customer journey, not just in isolated instances.”

The new office opened almost simultaneously with the recently inaugurated Terminal 1 Pier, which is specifically tailored to the needs of Arab travelers with high-quality retail and dining options – including halal-friendly choices and prayer rooms.

“The vision of the Bavarian-Arab Society is to create a vibrant platform for intercultural dialogue and economic exchange, and to strengthen Munich and Bavaria’s appeal as destinations for Arab travelers,” explains Metin Ülker, General Manager of the Bavarian-Arab Society.

With this opening, Munich Airport is signaling its commitment to internationalism, genuine hospitality, and its position as a cosmopolitan, service-oriented hub.