Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Community markets across Abu Dhabi are changing how homegrown businesses find customers, and that's through face-to-face connection that no online ad or supermarket shelf can offer. For these entrepreneurs - many of whom sell handmade and homemade products - trust has become part of the business model.
"People want a direct connection to the maker, not just a product on a shelf. They can ask questions, taste before they buy, and build trust," said Shaima Elshikh, founder of gluten-free bakery Celiacita, a regular at bazaar in Khalifa City.
Those personal interactions become the discovery engine that won't have to rely on algorithms. "People who would never find us on Instagram discover us there, try a sample, and become regular customers," Elshikh said. "We also receive immediate feedback on flavours and products, allowing us to keep improving."
Chelsea Beeke has seen that dynamic as an organiser. Her company, Tiny Bean Events, has run the Waitrose Community Market and Khalifa Market for three years on the premise that "strong communities are built by supporting small local businesses".
Beeke believes many residents intentionally seek out UAE-based businesses because they know that by supporting these entrepreneurs and artisans, they are making a real difference.
"There is a strong culture of regular visitors who come back each week to buy from their favourite bakers, refill their olive oil, pick up cookies, coffee beans, candles, jewellery, homeware and clothing - because they have built relationships with the vendors," she told Aletihad.
"Friends often arrange to meet for coffee before browsing the market together. They enjoy seeing familiar faces, that is what differentiates a community market from a shopping mall."
Earning Customer Loyalty
For small business owners, she added, the format is also a low-risk way to test products without the overhead of a permanent retail space. "Entrepreneurs receive immediate customer feedback while building brand awareness."
Alvin Feliciano, founder of Cookie Alchemy, has watched community markets grow steadily busier over the years. "With my experience, especially with Emiratis, they really love to support homegrown businesses and they remain loyal to me up until now, and I am grateful for that," Feliciano told Aletihad.
He observed that shoppers now value craftsmanship over convenience, plus the "extra-mile hospitality" that comes with buying from the person who made the product. "People love to build connection, not just to shop," Feliciano added.
A Shopper's Experience
The convenience and personal touch are not the only factors that pull shoppers in. Rouzan Badwan, for example, is after the freshness of produce that community markets offer.
"Produce that has not been sitting in cold storage for weeks tastes different," Badwan told Aletihad. "I care about what I put in my body, and there is something grounding about buying food closer to where it was actually grown rather than off a supermarket shelf."
Buying local has also become increasingly meaningful, she said. Even though supermarkets often win when life gets busy, going to community markets remain something she looks forward to.
"It feels like a treat rather than a chore, it is slower and more human than a supermarket run," she said. "I love discovering small artisanal products I would never find anywhere else, and talking to the people who actually grew or made what they are selling," she added.
Badwan believes this habit reflects a wider shift towards wellness and sustainability, especially among younger residents. "As more people become conscious about where their food comes from, these markets are moving from being a novelty to becoming part of everyday life."
