Amazon and Ghitha Holding Sign MoU on Seasonal UAE Produce Delivery
The two companies will study a demand-led farming model that would put freshly harvested local crops on Amazon Now.
Karim El-Sayed Karim El-Sayed covers company news, policy and regulation across the UAE and wider MENA for Anecdoted, with a focus on how new rules and licences reshape how startups operate. karim@anecdoted.com
Amazon and Ghitha Holding have signed a memorandum of understanding to study a seasonal fresh produce initiative that would link farms directly into Amazon's supply chain. Ghitha Holding is an Abu Dhabi-based food production, agriculture and distribution group, and a subsidiary of 2PointZero Group.
Demand data as a planting guide
Under the proposal, Ghitha Holding would contribute its agricultural expertise and infrastructure while Amazon's customer demand data would inform which crops are grown. The stated aim is to get freshly harvested, locally grown produce to shoppers within minutes via Amazon Now.
Falal Ameen, group CEO of Ghitha Holding PJSC, framed the arrangement as a way to combine the group's farming knowledge with Amazon's reach and customer insight, describing the goal as moving fresh local food to customers more efficiently. He added that the tie-up would open more opportunities for local farmers, strengthen the UAE's agricultural ecosystem and support growth in domestic food production.
Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president for Amazon in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, described the concept as a departure from conventional sourcing. What customers want on their tables, he said, would shape what is grown seasonally on farms.
Packhouse planned for Food Tech Valley
The agreement also sets out plans for a packhouse and distribution center at Food Tech Valley, a government-backed food innovation hub in Dubai, along with a broader listing of Ghitha Holding's local brands on Amazon Now.
Ghitha Holding subsidiaries already sell through Amazon Now. The lineup includes Al Ain Farms, Marmum Dairy Farm, Al Ajban Poultry, Arabian Farms, Al Jazira Poultry Farm, Nassar Al Refaee Trading Company, Asmak and Abu Dhabi Vegetable Oil Company. Their products span dairy, poultry, seafood, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
The memorandum is exploratory. Neither company has announced a timeline, investment figure or production volume, and the packhouse and distribution center remain at the planning stage.
Read more: Amazon and the UAE Federal Youth Authority have partnered to launch the Amazon Youth Council, aimed at supporting the next generation of Emirati leaders.
