Natural Foods and Cosmetics Middle East is a family owned distribution company founded in 2014 in Dubai the United Arab Emirates.
With a thorough education and over 18 years of knowledge and experience in the orthomolecular sector in Europe they are dedicated to share our knowledge and experience in the UAE.
We interviewed the founders about their opinion on the organic market in the region.
What natural/organic products do you import into the Middle East?
We carefully select and source unique, organic, 100% natural, high-quality products that contribute to human health and wellbeing, supporting a healthy lifestyle, products people really benefit from.
We source our products from around the world and make them accessible in the Middle East throughout retail as well as online through our web shop http://www.healthshop.ae
For example:
Zechsal Pure Magnesium Chloride from The Netherlands.
A mineral in its purest and most effective form. It absorbs through the skin and rapidly restores cellular magnesium levels in your body. Our food has increasingly less magnesium, and yet our bodies need ever more of this key mineral to protect our health. The purest magnesium chloride from the unique Zechstein source. Hidden 1600-2000 meters deep underground is the ancient Zechstein Sea. “Zechstein” located in the Northern part of Europe. Planet earth’s best kept secret for more than 250 million years.
Mybee Natural Medicated Cosmetics with Propolis from Greece.
Propolis is a natural bee product that guards and protects your health and skin. It is a substance rich in texture and the qualities that are produced by the honeybee.
From a unique rich ecosystem Lake Plastira, which is ideal for the development of beekeeping and the production of high quality honey and thus propolis.
Organic Island organic skin care products from Australia.
Organic Island’s breakthrough formulas are exclusively trademarked for use in all of their premium and certified products. Organic Island’s advanced organic technology highly effective ingredients providing real results.
What’s the average volume? Are these for retail or re-export? If re-export which are the major markets you send it to?
We mainly focus on retail in the UAE and we sell directly online through our web shop www.healthshop.ae We supply to: Organic Stores, Pharmacies, Fitness, Spa, Wellness and Treatment centers. From experience we noticed that commitment, education, information and cooperation is essential to create awareness of the benefits that natural, organic products have to offer, what to look for, how to use it and where you can purchase it.
Do you have private label products?
We don’t have private label products.
Can you tell me about the demand for organic products in the region? What is the latest trend that you see in organic products?
We notice that organic, natural products are gaining popularity in the UAE. Many people in the UAE want to look fantastic, feel great and live a healthy lifestyle not only for themselves, for the environment, their loved ones, friends, family and children.
People are getting more aware of the benefits organic, natural products has to offer. Therefore, more and more people consciously choose for products produced without synthetic, artificial chemicals, pesticides, hormones or other harmful ingredients.
For instance, research shows that 70% of the people has magnesium deficiency, when people start using the Zechsal magnesium products in their daily routine they instantly feel much better. This automatically translates into repeat purchases.
The latest trend we notice is that people want to use high quality organic, natural products that looks great too. That’s why we introduced 100% natural lip balm inside a real beach shell in the UAE. The perfect gift for every woman.
Where do you import your products from, and how much of a role does certification play in your decision? What are your main challenges in sourcing?
At the moment we import from Europe, Greece, Australia and Korea.
our main challenges in sourcing are to find high quality, certified, natural, organic products from all over the world which people really benefit from.
Certification plays a major role as there are many products who claim they are organic and natural products use the label ‘organic’ but may only contain 0.01% organic ingredients! This way you can trust that all of our products only contain raw plant & mineral based materials and that no synthetic or artificial chemicals, pesticides, hormones or other harmful products were used during production.
For example:
Organic Island is certified locally by Australian Certified Organic (ACO) and internationally by BDIH Germany (BDIH) two of the most regarded commissions in the world!
ZECHSAL carries the genuine certified “Zechstein Inside®” logo. The purest magnesium chloride from the unique Zechstein source. Produced according to the Zechstein Inside® batch protocol, ensuring the highest natural quality for topical applications. Zechsal products are 100% natural, certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, contain no preservatives and are not tested on animals.
Mybee propolis implements accredited control systems of national and international organizations (National Organization for Medicines, CPNP Notification, dermatological tests) and uses recycled materials and water-based inks for the packaging.
From where and/or what products would you like to source more ?
We are always searching for new products to extend our range of assortment produced with breakthrough formulas and or advanced organic technologies where people really benefit from improving life standards, making you feel and look better.
Interviewed by Menaka Ramakrishnan, Buyer Manager
menaka@organicandnatural.com