With the Strait of Hormuz closure squeezing supply chains and rattling consumer confidence, UAE-based conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim has launched a support initiative aimed at giving local entrepreneurs and small businesses a foothold in its commercial network.
The programme, called Ma’an, offers free physical and digital space across the group’s properties for one month. Pop-up spots are available at Mall of the Emirates, THAT Concept Store, VOX Cinemas, and Carrefour locations, while selected brands will also gain visibility through SHARE, the group’s loyalty platform that draws millions of regular users.
“At a challenging moment for businesses across the region, we asked ourselves what it truly means to show up for them. We are committed to ensuring our great local stories are told,” the company said.
The initiative was developed in partnership with Dubai SME, an agency under the Dubai Department for Economy and Tourism, signalling a degree of public-private coordination in the response to current economic pressures.
Majid Al Futtaim framed the programme around the UAE’s founding ethos of enabling commerce. “The UAE was founded on the belief that when you create the right conditions, people will build. At the heart of that belief are the homegrown businesses, makers, and entrepreneurs who give our communities their character, energy, and soul,” the group stated.
Applications are open through the Ma’an section of Majid Al Futtaim’s website. The group has also called on the public to flag homegrown brands online that “deserve to be seen.”
“In times like these, community matters more than ever. That’s why we’re turning our spaces into platforms for the local businesses that make the UAE feel like home,” the company added.Mall of the Emirates is giving free shop space to UAE small businesses for a month
