Will Aswaaq be the answer?

The recent announcement of plans for the UAE's biggest supermarket chain, Aswaaq, to be steered by nationals, has signalled a major transformation in the industry's approach to local employment.

HE Ahmad Bin Bayat, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council correctly remarked that Aswaaq has responded to the UAE's vision.

"We have solutions that heavily depend on UAE National human resources such as Aswaaq, which relies on state-of-the-art technology which minimises the need to minimal labour requirements and provides investment opportunities for youths," said HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in a recent statement.

The vision embraces developments concentrating on hiring UAE nationals and opening up investment opportunities for the young, business-minded population.

Driven by state-of-the-art technology and ‘the best international practices,' Aswaaq will endeavour to offer draws for consumers including high quality SKUs at reasonable prices, highly trained staff, and ‘family-like' customer service.

Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Aswaaq has shared his desire to improve the "socio-economic standard of the local communities. This stems from aswaaq's belief in the importance of social responsibility.

Apart from the project's grand promises to take on the emirates' motivated, retail bosses of the future, it has been revealed that the chain is set to pursue the cooperative society concept, and in turn will present a strong challenge to various retail formats when the first two stores open in Dubai at the end of this year .The supermarkets are categorised into four sizes spanning from 14,500ft² feet to 44,500ft² depending on its location.

The public joint-stock company under formation, in which the Dubai government has a 45% stake, could hold responsibility for improving the futures of nationals by providing a profusion of opportunities for importers, suppliers and investors.

Launched by the Dubai Government, acquisitions of Aswaaq's shares are reserved solely for UAE nationals, and its CEO has vowed to raise the standard of living of its surrounding communities.

Pitched as a "new concept in modern shopping," the project's attention to social welfare has been extended in its blueprints for environmentally safe building standards and water and energy consumption.

The impact of Aswaaq, described as "a refreshing new concept in convenience shopping in a range of small, medium, and large community centres," all boasting supermarkets manned by "socially dedicated management" cannot be ignored.

Retail bosses repeatedly speak of their all singing, all dancing strategies to focus on localisation, yet ultimately Aswaaq will raise that vision to a whole new level.

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