Reshaping Consumerism: Here's Carrefour Mobimart, The Middle East's First Grocery Bus The retail giant, operated by Majid Al Futtaim in the UAE, unveiled Mobimart, the region's first grocery bus, bringing convenient and accessible shopping to the doorsteps of underserved neighborhoods and communities across Dubai, six days a week.
By May Rostom
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Every sci-fi movie of the "80s predicted that by 2020, we would have flying cars, space rockets, and funky silver outfits. No one ever predicted self-driving cars, drones, and a supermarket bus.
Big brands around the world are reshaping consumerism by easing the hideous process of having to go get up and go to the supermarket. Whether they have done so by introducing supermarket apps or delivering right to your doorstep, consumer brands are always coming up with fresh ideas to make shopping more convenient and accessible than ever before.
Take a look at Carrefour for example. The retail giant, operated by Majid Al Futtaim in the UAE, unveiled Mobimart, the region's first grocery bus, bringing convenient and accessible shopping to the doorsteps of underserved neighborhoods and communities across Dubai, six days a week.
Built in Dubai by homegrown, Dubai-based startup, Bespoke Trailers, Carrefour Mobimart reimagines traditional grocery concepts as it caters to the UAE's ever-evolving customer need. From daily groceries and fresh food, including a selection of organic produce, frozen food, snacks, beverages, to light household items, Carrefour Mobimart will visit various communities along its assigned route, with timed stops, parking just a short walk from shoppers' homes.
Carrefour operates different store formats, as well as multiple online offerings to meet the growing needs of its diversified customer base, including the popular Carrefour Marine, the world's first sail thru store. In 2018, Carrefour Marine was launched, the world's first sail-through supermarket in Dubai, where customers could order items to the beach or collect them personally on a jet ski, yacht or sailing craft from the boat-store (also referred to as Aqua Pod).
Even Noon, the Middle East's homegrown online marketplace, has autonomous vending machines driving all over downtown Dubai, college campuses, and famous tourist spots. The driverless vehicles are specifically designed to cater to hungry/ thirsty consumers on the hottest summer days.
While we might have not gotten to the flying cars part yet, the future is most certainly here- at least when it comes to retail!
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