UAE Business Awards 2023 44 Best FoodTech Start-Up 2023 Named after the Arabic word for ‘desert’, Badia Farms is bringing a green hub to the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic yet agriculturally challenged cities. It is the first in Dubai to supply gourmet greens to restaurant kitchens on the very same day they are picked, and the company’s ultimate goal is to put the UAE on the map as an upscale fruit and veg producer. We find out more as the organisation gains recognition in the UAE Business Awards 2023. Badia Farms started a farming revolution in the UAE with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) first indoor vertical farm back in 2016. Its mission was to close the gap between the farm and the chef’s kitchen and provide locally grown crops of the finest quality, all year round. The company employs a vertical model and this, coupled with its growing hydroponics techniques, ensures that it is producing a premium product in the most efficient manner. Currently, Badia Farms offers a wide range of locally grown leafy greens and microgreens catering to hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and e-commerce sites. Omar Al Jundi, the firm’s founder and CEO, tells us a little more about the process and techniques used when taking on a new client or project. “Before we talk, we listen,” he explains. “When meeting with a new client, we try to fully understand their requirements to ensure when we propose our products it fits their need. We take into account the problems and frustrations the customer is currently facing and then come up with a solution that suits both parties. So far, this approach has been very effective.” As the UAE is a desert country with limited natural agricultural resources, it is thus known to import at least 90% of its food, which has surfaced time and again as a source of concern for the local market, particularly in recent years when Covid-19 caused global food supply chains to come to a near-standstill. The pandemic, global warming, and overall supply chain issues have led local authorities, hospitality groups, hotel chains, retailers, and chefs to take different approaches to this matter, and they are starting to exhibit more support for locally produced food products. This movement has given Badia Farms a huge opportunity to increase its brand awareness and production capacity, and to carry out its mission of providing fresh, locally grown food to the masses. “The UAE is a global hub and provides access to talent, different cultures, different cuisines, and that helped us in deciding on the products and varieties we are currently producing and will produce in the future,” Omar elaborates. “In addition, we consider the UAE as the Olympics in doing business. The business environment is very competitive and we have to bring our A-Game to work each and every day. That is challenging but built in us a strong drive for success that is coming in handy in our plans for expansion.” Badia Farms’ success is not all down to having the drive and determination, it lies as well in the excellent quality of its products, and its customer care – something which is taken very seriously – along with stable and competitive price points. As a leader in vertical farming, Omar tells us that continuous innovation is key when it comes to its products and packaging in order to add real value to customers. But it doesn’t stop there – another important key factor in its success is the expertise that lies within its dedicated and loyal employees. “We ensure that new candidates are aligned with the company’s vision and they are as mission driven as the rest of the team,” he states, explaining the things he looks for when recruiting. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. It’s important the candidate understands the “why”. In our case, our company’s “why” is addressing food security in our part of the world, and providing our people and communities with healthy, organic, pesticide-free produce that helps elevate their health and their energy so as a nation, we can lead a vibrant life.” Recently, in recognition of its hard work, Badia Farms was named Best FoodTech Start-Up 2023 in the UAE Business Awards, and Omar tells us that 2023 is proving to be an exciting year with expansion and new products on the horizon. “We are proud to announce our expansion to other GCC countries,” he enthuses. “We are currently in the process of building two new facilities in Saudi Arabia and one in Bahrain, where we plan to grow new varieties of fruits and vegetables in order to bring our fine quality produce to more people.” Contact Details Contact: Omar Al Jundi Company: Badia Farms Web Address: www.badiafarms.com Feb23317
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