Dubai Municipality has unveiled the city’s latest gem, the Bloom Market, an expansive air-conditioned fruit and vegetable market spanning an impressive 66,000 sqm. As the region’s largest air-conditioned facility of its kind, Bloom Market seeks to redefine the way residents shop for fresh produce, offering a welcome respite from the sweltering summer heat.

Inaugurated by Dawood Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality, the Bloom Market is located in Ras Al Khor Industrial Area 3, a mere kilometer away from Dubai’s Central Fruit and Vegetable Market in Al Aweer. With its grand opening festivities, including vibrant African drum beats and lively songs, the market welcomed guests to explore an array of colorful fruits and vegetables, stacked neatly across various stalls.

The two-storey indoor market boasts modern logistical services, storage facilities, display equipment, and three restaurants. Furthermore, it provides 400 parking spaces in the basement and ample space for trucks to unload fresh produce directly into the market.

According to Mohammed Faraidooni, director of Markets at Dubai Municipality, the ground floor offers a leasable area of 7,600 sqm for selling fruits and vegetables, with an additional 5,500 sqm for logistics. Over 760 traders have been allotted stalls to operate fruit and vegetable stores on the ground floor.

Faraidooni emphasized the market’s unique blend of offerings, featuring locally-grown fruits and vegetables directly from UAE farms, as well as exclusively imported varieties not found in other markets. This distinctive shopping hub caters to both business-to-consumer and business-to-business customers, including businesses in the hospitality sector and general consumers seeking fresh produce in bulk or retail quantities.

Contrary to concerns that the Bloom Market might compete with the neighboring open-air Central Fruit and Vegetable Market, Faraidooni clarified that the two facilities complement each other. The old market, which is currently undergoing further revamping, will continue to provide wholesale services to businesses while the Bloom Market focuses on enhancing the retail shopping experience.

The future expansion plans for the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market include the addition of dates, dry fruits, eggs, and poultry, while a new app will be launched to enable online sales of fresh produce from the market. Additionally, cold storage facilities will be introduced to preserve perishable items effectively.

The Bloom Market, contracted to Nas Group for its operations, logistics, and IT support, promises ease of shopping with various services to enhance the customer experience. From assisting shoppers with carts, transporting purchases to their vehicles, providing in-market parking, and offering cleaning services to reduce traffic, the municipality aims to deliver a smooth and convenient shopping experience.

Traders and investors have expressed optimism about the market’s prospects. Anwar Hussain from Pakistan and Deepa Hemamali from Sri Lanka, two traders at the market, appreciate the convenience and facilities offered, while investors Abdalla Muhith and Nahid Rahman see the market’s potential for good business opportunities.

As Dubai’s newest cool oasis for fresh produce, the Bloom Market is set to redefine the way residents shop for fruits and vegetables, ensuring a comfortable and vibrant shopping experience amidst the city’s scorching summer.

Bloom Market Locaion

The legal system of the United Arab Emirates is a complex structure comprising federal laws as well as separate laws and rules applicable to individual emirates and free zones within the country. This article provides an overview of the country’s legal system and focuses on the UAE Arbitration Law, arbitration seated in UAE free zones, and UAE arbitral institutions.

The UAE is a federation consisting of seven emirates, each with its own legislature and judiciary. However, federal law takes precedence over the laws of individual emirates. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah have their own judicial systems. In Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and in Dubai, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), are offshore “islands” with their own separate courts and laws based on common law.

The Arbitration Law, which came into force in June 2018, governs agreements to arbitrate contractual and tortious disputes seated onshore in the country, outside of the ADGM and DIFC. This law is based on the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and ensures equality between the parties and sufficient opportunity for the submission of claims and defences.

Under the Arbitration Law, arbitration agreements must be in writing. While the law allows incorporation by reference and agreements made through correspondence, it requires that the person entering into an arbitration agreement has the capacity or authority to do so. If there is a valid agreement to arbitrate, the courts must dismiss any action commenced in respect of the dispute, provided that the existence of the arbitration agreement is raised by the respondent at the beginning of the proceedings.

Although some provisions of the Arbitration Law are mandatory, many allow for agreements to the contrary. For example, the law provides that the date of commencement of the arbitration can be agreed upon by the parties unless otherwise specified.

Free zones in the UAE, such as the DIFC and the ADGM, have their own systems of laws and courts. The DIFC, established in 2004, is exempt from commercial and civil federal jurisdiction and regulations, while the ADGM, established in 2015, applies the common law of England with necessary modifications. Both free zones have their own arbitration laws based on the UNCITRAL Model Law.

Arbitration institutions play a significant role in the UAE’s arbitration landscape. The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), established in 1994, is one of the busiest arbitral institutions in the UAE. In September 2021, the DIAC Decree came into force, establishing a single unified arbitration centre under an overhauled DIAC and transferring the assets, rights, and obligations of the DIFC Arbitration Institute and the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre to DIAC.

Other notable arbitral institutions in the UAE include the Abu Dhabi Commercial, Conciliation and Arbitration Centre (ADCCAC), the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre, the ADGM Arbitration Centre, and the Sharjah International Commercial Arbitration Centre (TAHKEEM). These institutions provide arbitration services and administer arbitrations seated within their respective jurisdictions.

In conclusion, the UAE’s legal system is a complex framework comprising federal laws, laws specific to individual emirates, and laws applicable to free zones. The Arbitration Law governs arbitration seated onshore in the UAE, while the DIFC and ADGM have their own separate laws and courts based on common law. The UAE is also home to several arbitral institutions that play a crucial role in the country’s arbitration landscape.