Majid Al Futtaim is giving UAE-based small businesses a way into spaces that are usually hard to access early on. Through its new programme, Ma’an, local brands can apply for the chance to showcase and sell their products inside major destinations like Mall of the Emirates, THAT Concept Store, Carrefour, and VOX Cinemas.
The initiative is open to UAE businesses that have been operating for at least a year and already have a clear product offering, whether that’s in fashion, beauty, food, or lifestyle. Rather than offering funding, Ma’an focuses on placement and visibility, giving selected brands access to high-traffic retail environments along with marketing support across social media, in-mall screens, and the SHARE loyalty platform.
For many small brands, getting into these kinds of spaces can take years. Here, the process is more direct. Products are placed where people are already shopping, rather than relying only on online discovery or smaller-scale pop-ups.
For consumers, that means familiar spaces could start to include more local labels, smaller concepts, and emerging products that wouldn’t typically make it into large retail environments. It’s a shift in what shows up on shelves, and who gets seen in the process.
‘The role of our malls has always been to bring people and communities together, and that responsibility has never been more important than it is today. Small businesses are a cornerstone of the UAE’s economic and social fabric, and Ma’an reflects our commitment to creating pathways for homegrown brands to scale and thrive’, says Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Holding.
