Staying True To Roots

The brand constantly distinguishes out in the very competitive retail sector giving millions of Indian expats a sense of home

Al Adil Trading Company has made a reputation for itself in the UAE as a leading supplier of Indian spices, condiments, and culinary items for more than 38 years. Dr. Dhananjay (Jay) Datar, Chairman and Managing Director of Al Adil Trading, claims that the family firm may now witness a new wave of offers for its clients with the entry of a new generation and new initiatives. Dr. Datar, also known as the 'Masala King', reaffirmed that as India celebrates its 74th Republic Day, it is a proud occasion and a significant milestone for all Indians. "It is heartwarming to note that India is celebrating 74 years of the adoption of the constitution and the country's transition to a republic. Amrit Kaal and other initiatives have grown alongside the nation's development throughout time. Amrit Kaal is a special plan for the next 25 years of the nation. The next phase of Ease of Doing Business 2.0 (EoDB 2.0) and Ease of Living will be focused on Amrit Kaal. I do not doubt that this programme will be crucial in improving human resource effectiveness to achieve trust-based governance," he said.

Al Adil Trading is a name that stands out in the highly competitive retail market. The full credit for this goes to Dr. Datar, who has built the most preferred retail chain through his hard work and dedication.

Evolving growth story

With a keen aptitude and a strong mindset to turn problems into opportunities, Dr. Datar has remained a strong lead in steering his business to the great heights it is at today. He has tackled and faced challenges head on and worked around them in a manner that best assures his business and employees. From a tiny store selling groceries in Bur Dubai in 1984, Al Adil has now expanded into a chain of 50 stores spread across the GCC, with two spice factories, two flour mills and an import-export company. The group also produces more than 700 products under its brand, Peacock.

Dr. Datar discusses the significance of this growth and how it has been expanding continuously each year. "Indians enjoy eating. It makes no difference what nation we are in. We are constantly looking for a 'taste of India'. Bringing more than 9,500 food items from India to the UAE is our area of expertise." He continued by saying that the company intended to import additional foods from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh in South India. These will include things like pickles, papadum, and seasonings. The demand is growing as more and more South Indians relocate to the UAE. Al Adil has been bringing on more staff members from these states, particularly over the past seven years, as a result of observing an increase in demand from this Indian region.

A focus on the future — going digital

Al Adil has been making life easier for food lovers with its wide range of spices, masalas, pickles, flours and pulses now available online on apps such as Noon and InstaShop. The company has upgraded its e-commerce portal and is placing great importance on the concept of online selling, according to Dr. Datar. "It has become abundantly clear that a sizeable portion of UAE consumers, particularly the younger generation, favour online shopping rather than making those frequent trips to supermarkets or grocery stores. For our initial internet sales, we relied on third-party platforms. These platforms had connections that would take customers straight to the Al Adil online store. However, to reach them, we have strengthened our internet platform. Even though we had a separate internet business, there was always room for improvement. We will be able to handle more traffic with the aid of our updated gateway."

Dr. Datar claims that the updated software will assist Al Adil in introducing a rewards programme. He believes that a loyalty programme is essential in retaining internet customers. To fulfil its delivery commitments, Al Adil makes the best use of both its fleet and outside suppliers.

Extraordinary in the ordinary

The ingenious entrepreneur is also a serial philanthropist. In the last two years since the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world, Dr. Datar has been committed to helping those in need. One such instance is his sending 150 boxes of Alphonso mangoes to healthcare volunteers in Pune on Maharashtra Day last year. Besides, he also assisted those in need financially.

Another novel initiative that he kickstarted in 2021 was the ‘Rickshaw Ambulance’ in Pune to transport critically ill Covid-19 patients. Under the initiative, a fleet of 25 auto-rickshaw ambulances equipped with oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment is on call around the clock. These are just a few of the humanitarian efforts that the businessman is at the helm of but seldom boasts about.

— anam@khaleejtimes.com

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