Al Adil enters e-commerce fray

Dr Dhananjay Datar launches Al Adil's online store in Dubai on Sunday.

If you have planned a trip to Al Adil to get spices and other grocery stuff from India, hold on and instead visit the retailer's newly-launched website and have the stocks delivered to your doorstep. The UAE's leading brand for Indian foodstuff launched its online portal in Dubai on Sunday.
Dr Dhananjay Datar, chairman and managing director of Al Adil, said: "It is the e-commerce era now. Online retail has established itself in the region and we do not want to be left behind. The time is just right and we will be able to capitalise on market needs. Many of the leading brick-and-mortar retailers have started venturing into the digital sphere and many leading retail companies are also stepping into the digital platform."

With Internet penetration very high in the region, Al Adil's virtual foray will make life convenient for its customers. "The growth in Internet penetration, changing consumer shopping behaviour, the usage of smartphones for all purchases, etc., are slowly making online shopping an integral part of today's consumer lives. Online will soon become the primary buying source," Datar added.

Al Adil's mid- to long-term plans include expansion in other GCC countries. The company's focus is on establishing a significant presence in the UAE by catering to the demands of the predominantly Indian expatriate community while also expanding its operations to other Middle Eastern countries in the coming years.

The company has also diversified into import and export under the special class establishment with imports and exports in the US, Canada, Tanzania, Kenya, Switzerland, Italy, Eritrea, Kuwait, Muscat and the UAE. Al Adil also proposes to boost growth by launching Masala King Export Trading in the UAE which would manufacture a range of Indian food and grocery items and also give an extra thrust to the Peacock range of products.

"We have studied the market thoroughly and taken all necessary steps to make shopping through our online store a hassle-free experience. Apart from the ease of use, we have also put in place a system that enables error-free delivery within a stipulated timeframe. Our entire product range will be available online. The payment gateway is secure and we have put in place a wide range of offers that will make online shopping a preferred choice for our regular customers," said Datar.

A team of professionals worked on the design and interface architecture of the site as well as on the planning and production side. Apart from that, internal programming and development teams took care of the e-commerce programming and data integration.

"The new website sees allows consumers to quickly and easily locate the products of their choice and purchase them online for immediate delivery within the UAE. We have worked on an engaging design that showcases products and offers easy navigation. The end product is a website that is clean and functional, making the user experience as smooth as possible," added Datar.

Al Adil Trading Co LLC has become a familiar name in every Indian household in the UAE. It is a reputed grocery store that sells more than 9,000 food items.

"We produce masalas, spices, pickles, flours, pulses and other Indian food items under the Peacock brand name. We sell packed flour in each of our outlets, which also has an attached grinding mill. Catering mainly to the Indian expat community in the UAE, our customers vary from households to five-star hotels, catering companies, Dubai Duty Free, in-flight catering, hospitals and more. In two years, we will expand our product range to more than 10,000 food items. Our investments will be according to market requirements and we expect the brand to grow substantially," added Datar.

Demand for authentic spices and masalas is a constant in the UAE. People are always looking for products that bring out the real taste of food and does not include artificial elements, thereby making the food light and easy to digest, pointed out Datar.

"I have witnessed over 40 per cent growth in sales for our Peacock brand, which is one of the largest brands in the spices and masala category. Peacock began in a modest manner a few years ago with a small range of spices. Today, the brand comprises more than 160 products covering spices, pulses, flours, pickles, mukhawas, papads, nuts and dry fruits," concluded Datar.

- sandhya@khaleejtimes.com