Malaysian Foreign Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is running a month-long promotion at LuLu Hypermarkets in Dubai. The promotion runs for a one-month period ending July 30. During this period, several FMCG products manufactured in Malaysia are presented in the points of sale of the Lulu hypermarket as well as on its online market place (www.luluhypermarket.com).
As the region’s leading retail group, LuLu is one of the preferred partners for several Malaysian products. The idea behind this promotion is to raise awareness of Malaysian products in the UAE market. Currently, many Malaysian products have become household names in the UAE, including Alicafé, Captain Oats, Vochelle chocolates, Oki cooking oil, Kimball sauce, Julie’s cookies, and more. Other popular Malaysian products available in UAE retail stores include frozen pastries, detergents and cleaners, sauces, sweets, fresh fruits, cosmetics, rubber gloves, etc.
Malaysia has a reputation for being a source of quality products. Being a Muslim country, Malaysia’s halal certification gives an added edge to its products. “Malaysia offers a comprehensive range of FMCG products, many of which remain largely untapped so far,” said Omar Mohd Salleh – Malaysia’s Trade Commissioner to the UAE.
The current initiative is one of many MATRADE initiatives aimed at promoting Malaysian products in this region. MATRADE also organizes regular “Buying Missions to Malaysia” at popular trade shows held in Malaysia to facilitate the sourcing of Malaysian products.
“With the resumption of business travel after the pandemic, we have seen increased interest from traders in this region to travel to Malaysia and reconnect with suppliers,” Saleh added.
At the same time, in line with this growing trend, MATRADE will coordinate a business delegation from the UAE and other GCC countries to the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) – the world’s largest halal products/services fair to be held in Malaysia at from September 7. -ten.
Malaysian FMCG products have seen a steady increase in this market over the years, along with the growth in the size of the UAE market. Several retailers in the United Arab Emirates are looking to Malaysia for their private labels, the demand for which has increased in recent years. In the first five months of 2022, Malaysia’s exports to the UAE grew by 33.6% to reach 1.26 billion dirhams. Edible oil and processed foods grew by 138% and 28.4% respectively over the same period. And Omar expects the trend to continue for the remaining period as the UAE reaffirms its position as a regional trade hub.