Taste Of Malaysia programme Opens Doors For MSMEs To Enter UAE Market

From Lucia Terey Anak John

DUBAI, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- The ‘Taste of Malaysia’ programme, launched by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) here yesterday, will open more opportunities for local micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) products to penetrate the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market.

Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali highlighted that the UAE, along with China, Japan and Thailand, is an ideal starting point for the programme due to its strategic location in the Middle East.

He said that through this programme, 44 Stock Keeping Units (SKU) of local products from 16 companies would be available at Lulu Hypermarket, which currently has 120 branches across the UAE, including 48 in Dubai.

“Previously, 241 SKUs of Malaysian-made products, promoted by KPDN, have entered Lulu Hypermarket stores across the UAE, generating sales of RM30 million last year.

“These were supplied by 30 local companies producing fresh produce, food items and personal care products. The new SKUs introduced this time will further expand the market for local MSME products in the UAE,” he told Bernama after launching the programme at Lulu Hypermarket, Silicon Oasis here.

With the value of Malaysian processed food exports to the UAE approaching RM600 million, he said Malaysian MSMEs need to be more prepared to compete globally.

Armizan further explained that to create more opportunities for MSMEs to showcase their products, KPDN would enhance collaboration with major supermarket chains operating beyond Malaysia, including Lotus’s for the Thai market and Aeon in Japan.

“We also finalising cooperation with a cooperative in China. This is crucial for identifying the right products to introduce into the country while also allowing us to monitor MSME product performance and make improvements based on data from the supermarkets,” he said.

-- BERNAMA