Kibsons, the UAE-based importer and distributor of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat, has opened its 130,000 sq ft head office and cold storage warehouse, which is three times the size of its previous site, located in the Dubai Fruit and Vegetable Market.

The head office compromises a cold storage warehouse equipped with latest technologies within the grocery and produce industry. The facility includes a water recycling technology enabling 100,000 gallons of water to be recycled each day, minimising wastage from operations.

Commenting on the announcement of the new head office, head of operations and part of the founding family of Kibsons, Halima Jumani, said: “In building our own custom-made head office, we have allowed ourselves to incorporate every element necessary for future proofing and developing our business for the next ten years.  This is a giant step in our journey. We are delighted with our new headquarters and excited for what it opens up for us and what we will be able to deliver to our customers.”

Giving details about its expansion plans, Jumani said that Kibsons also intends to triple its current distribution of more than 250,000kg of fresh produce at the new site. It also plans to triple its meat processing capabilities and launch a new meat breading line, making 40 SKUs for wholesale, locally and internationally.

It is also looking at category expansion as a key future strategy enabling Kibsons to be the one stop shop for all grocery needs. Vegan, personal care, homecare, babycare, pet food and pantry items are key possible expansion areas, it may venture into.

As part of the expansion plan, the company is aiming to expand to other parts of the region in the next two years, as well. Established in 1982, the family run business has come a long way since it opened as a retail shop in Dubai’s Fruit and Vegetable Market. Having rapidly expanded over the years, continually acquiring more shop units in the area, Kibsons has expanded from a staff strength of 20 to over 600 over the four decades. The new head office will create more than 200 new jobs, according to Jumani.

The new head office incorporates all warehousing, fulfilment, cold store facilities, meat processing and operations for the company as it embarks on an exciting period of growth, both within the market and regionally and supports the company’s growth strategy and commitment to provide local jobs.

As part of its future strategy and development plans, Kibsons is taking several initiatives to develop an eco-business and reduce the carbon footprint wherever possible. Jumani said it is continuously looking at new products and packaging technologies to reduce its environmental footprint and aims to be a totally paperless firm by mid-2020. It is also working with suppliers globally to find alternative packaging solutions to reduce the consumption of single use plastic.

A pioneer in the fruit, vegetable and grocery industry, Kibsons has revolutionised the grocery shopping experience for the UAE consumers. It is now one of the biggest e-commerce players in the fresh produce market, with home delivery being one of the fastest growing segments of the business, fulfilling over 2,500 home delivery orders per day. The new site will enable up to 10,000 orders per day – enabling local and regional growth.

Its new cold chain management capabilities sets the company apart not only regionally, but internationally with state-of-the-art technology and capabilities including an avocado and banana ripening facility.

All operations across their retail channels, cold store facilities, meat processing factory and refrigerated distribution fleet of more than 100 vehicles are HACCP certified and supported by state-of-the-art equipment and technology.