Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia — has opened its largest Carrefour online fulfilment centre. Located in Dubai’s Al Garhoud area, the facility has been set up to ensure the quick and efficient preparation and delivery of products to online shoppers across the emirate.
The opening of the fulfilment centre was attended by His Excellency, Omar Al Olama, Minister for State of Digital Economy, Artificial Intelligence and Remote Work Applications; Alain Bejjani, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim — Holding; Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim — Retail, and a number of representatives from Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management.
Visible from planes landing at the nearby Dubai International Airport, the Al Garhoud fulfilment centre spans 5,000 square metres. The centre was built in five weeks in response to the exponential growth in online shopping following the COVID-19 pandemic. It handles up to 3,000 daily orders, which will gradually increase to 5,000 orders per day, and is operational 24/7. The centre is staffed by over 250 colleagues, fulfilling customers’ needs with a range of over 8,000 essential grocery products.
Hani Weiss, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim — Retail, said: “Since the beginning of 2020, the grocery retail sector has rapidly evolved in line with changing customer expectations. We had an ambitious plan to scale up our e-grocery business this year, but at the height of the pandemic we found ourselves implementing what was initially conceived as a 12-month strategy in just 12 days. COVID-19 has brought about an unprecedented acceleration of digital adoption, and this has required us to be agile in our operations and mind-set. This creative resolve has enabled us to quickly enhance our online capabilities to cater to the new norm.
He added: “Dubai’s leadership has always been quick to react effectively to any challenge, acting in the best interests of its residents. I would like to thank Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, chaired by His Highness, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for their unwavering support; their guidance and backing shaping the development of this solution, and enabling us to serve our customers’ needs during this difficult time.”
The Al Garhoud fulfilment centre is the tenth and largest opened by Majid Al Futtaim following the extraordinary demand on Carrefour’s online service during the COVID-19 outbreak. Carrefour delivers products ranging from fresh food items to household items straight to shoppers’ doorsteps across the UAE.
