DP World, Maalexi join hands to boost food security in the region

DP World has announced a strategic partnership with Maalexi, a UAE-based dynamic risk management platform for SME agri-businesses. The partnership will enable improved efficiencies and broaden access to a variety of food products at Jebel Ali Port.

The collaboration is expected to significantly support food security in the region and streamline access to essential food supplies for businesses in the UAE and the broader region.

The partnership will support Maalexi in leveraging DP World’s global network and advanced temperature-controlled storage facilities at Jebel Ali Port, facilitating faster delivery times and a wider range of products.

“We are committed to setting new standards for food distribution,” said Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and MD of DP World GCC. “Through our partnership with Maalexi, we are set to boost the agricultural trade ecosystem in the UAE and the wider region.

“By leveraging our world-class multimodal infrastructure and temperature-controlled storage units along with Maalexi’s innovative technology, we can ensure food products are moved efficiently and strengthen food security in the process.”

Maalexi platform supports SMEs

Maalexi’s digital platform allows thousands of UAE-based SMEs to procure food and agricultural products more safely, quickly, and cost-effectively. The platform’s proprietary technologies inspect, monitor, and control climate conditions for food and agricultural produce, enabling continuous stock updates and price-locking for buyers across the region.

“We are excited to announce this partnership with a global leader in logistics,” said Dr Azam Pasha, co-founder and CEO of Maalexi. “The Jebel Ali facility will provide enhanced visibility and supplies to buyers, enabling them to execute purchases within seconds on the Maalexi platform while benefitting from our suite of risk management tools. There will be a substantial impact for SME buyers and sellers in the GCC agricultural market, and we look forward to delivering this via our innovative, continually evolving tech stack.”

This collaboration follows DP World’s recent groundbreaking of its new $150m Agri Terminals facility at Jebel Ali Port, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to food security in a region that imports as much as 85 per cent of its food supplies.

Read: Dubai breaks ground on mega $150m Agri Terminals facility

The UAE imports approximately $24bn worth of food and agricultural products annually, nearly half of the GCC’s total.

Jebel Ali plays a crucial role in this equation, handling almost three-quarters of the UAE’s food and beverage trade by value.

The partnership is also the latest initiative by Maalexi in the UAE, following a strategic credit insurance agreement with Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE’s Federal export credit company, in April to mitigate credit risks faced by SME buyers and importers.