The desire to serve and our commitment to a better tomorrow has been the driving force behind our growth strategy. Developing a culture of sustainability has helped us work towards an environmentally better and hopeful future for generations to come
Making a difference
We strive to create lasting value by protecting our planet and championing our people and communities. Inspired by the Rio Summit 1992, we set a 7 pillar Sustainable Living Plan for ourselves. Our initiatives are committed towards waste minimization and recycling, energy reduction, water conservation, reducing CO2 emissions, community service, employee engagement, dialogue, and education of public
Sustainability
Food Waste
Food Waste
We are constantly working to tackle food waste by analysing our supply chain and work on areas to reduce wastage. A privileged partner to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) since 2015, we have reached millions of UAE residents, raising awareness for the Zero Hunger global campaign, while donating more than 6 million meals towards WFP’s school feeding programmes in the region. We also support the UAE Food Bank through safe food donations.
Carbon Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Our Main Distribution centre in the UAE has transitioned to renewable energy through our newly installed rooftop solar panels. Expected to generate 4.8 GWhrs (Gigawatt hours) of energy, we aim to fulfil 100% of our energy requirement by the end of 2022, displacing more than 3,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
At the retail level, an extensive lighting and refrigeration system upgrade further endorses our efforts towards saving energy.
Plastic Packaging
Plastic Packaging
While packaging helps deliver fresh produce and reduce food waste, it has a harsh impact on the environment. Our quest for plastic bag alternatives dates to 1998, with the import of reusable jute bags from India. A more recent addition, our multi-use ‘Bag for Life’ comes with a lifetime guarantee and is replaceable for free if damaged. Another key milestone for us is our partnership with Emirates Nature WWF on their ‘Rethink Plastic’ campaign that has helped reduce the use of over 3 million plastic bags in the first year and supported the UAE’s sustainability and conservation efforts through proceeds from plastic bags sales. We are proud of this commitment to reduce our impact on the environment.
Dialogue
Dialogue
Located in the heart of Dubai, our head office follows UAE’s vision of ‘Developing a Happy and Sustainable City’ continuously working on sustainability initiatives and dialogue within the organization and in the community. Through companywide awareness sessions, workshops and activities, we encourage and educate our employees transitioning to a greener corporate culture.
As a member of GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) we have joined the world of sustainability leaders, becoming a forerunner in Retail in the UAE contributing towards attaining the UN SDGs.
Your Support, Our Strength
We support a number of local and international charities to make a positive difference in education, healthcare and the environment. As a brand that brings goodness to every plate, we are guided by an impactful partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
Our long-standing support to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, ensures timely medical assistance, bringing relief to the world’s most vulnerable populations. Our journey with MSF started in the early 1990s when we supported medical interventions in West Africa. Since then, we have been actively supporting pathbreaking MSF projects in the region.
Partnerships with entities of Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives including Dubai Cares, UAE Food Bank and Al Jalila Foundation inspire us to create positive and long-term impact. In its 14 years of association with Dubai Cares, Choithrams has helped build schools in Nepal and Senegal while supporting awareness campaigns in the UAE.
Thanks to the support of our customers, partners and stakeholders over the years, we have created a positive impact within communities in the region and beyond.
Al Jalila Foundation - Covid Grant
Choithram International Foundation announced a grant to Al Jalila Foundation, a member of Mohammed b...
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Choithram Netralaya - Gift of Sight
Thanks to the support of our well-wishers, customers, partners, Choithram Netralaya continues to res...
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Dubai Cares - 50 Years
Choithrams Presents a Moving Message with Dubai Cares on UAE’s 50th Anniversary. 3-month campaign ...
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MSF - Ramadan Campaign
Choithrams and Medecins Sans Frontieres bring hope to more than 20,000 women in Malawi this Ramadan....
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Stop The Waste Global Movement
Choithrams customers lend voice to WFP’s #StopTheWaste global movement. At a youth-led event in Ch...
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Zero Hunger with Goodness
Choithrams reveals “What’s for Lunch?” awareness and fundraising campaign to support the UN Wo...
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Rod is an international business leader with more than 30 years of experience across FMCG, retail and healthcare, including C-suite roles with major global multinationals and businesses across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. With a career spanning general management, sales and marketing, Rod combines broad international experience with strong commercial, brand and consumer expertise. At Choithrams, he leads Group Marketing alongside the UAE Distribution business, bringing together brand development, consumer and shopper insight, customer and principal partnerships, and P&L leadership. His focus is on accelerating sustainable growth, challenging established ways of working and building the people and capabilities needed for the future, while ensuring Choithrams becomes increasingly relevant to the customers, consumers and communities it serves.
GCC
Jonathan brings over 30 years of international finance and commercial leadership experience, including more than a decade in the Middle East. He has held senior leadership roles across leading retail, consumer and hospitality businesses, with extensive experience operating in complex, multi-market organisations.
As Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan leads the finance function across Choithrams’ GCC operations, partnering with the leadership team to drive business performance and long-term value creation.
His experience spans strategic planning, commercial finance, performance management, capital allocation and business transformation, with a strong focus on providing clarity, insight and constructive challenge to support better business decisions.
UAE
Danny is a highly accomplished retail, e-commerce and operations executive with more than 35 years of international leadership experience across the UK, Australia and the Middle East. Throughout his career, he has successfully driven commercial growth, business transformation and operational performance for leading retail organisations.
With extensive expertise spanning retail operations, e-commerce, omnichannel strategy and customer experience, Danny is recognised for delivering sustainable business results while maintaining a strong customer focus. He has a proven track record of leading complex transformations, improving performance and building high-performing teams.
Known for his collaborative leadership style and strong commercial acumen, Danny continues to create lasting value for customers, colleagues and stakeholders through innovation, strategic execution and a relentless focus on results.
Qatar & Bahrain
Kiyas is a results-driven retail leader with over 27 years of experience in the GCC supermarket and hypermarket industry. As Head of Retail at Megamart, he leads seven key functions across operations, procurement, people, marketing, store development, finance and facilities, while driving the company’s retail growth and projects across Qatar and Bahrain.
He brings together strong hands-on retail experience with a solid commercial and financial mindset. Throughout his career, Kiyas has focused on building strong store teams, improving profitability and margins, and successfully delivering new store openings, refurbishments and expansion projects.
Kiyas has held senior regional retail leadership roles across the GCC, with responsibility for operations across Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar. Earlier in his career, he held senior retail roles across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, giving him broad retail leadership experience across the GCC.
Perry is an HR leader with more than 14 years of experience across the GCC and India, spanning retail, distribution, technology and shared services. His career has covered the full spectrum of Human Resources, including business partnering, HR operations, talent acquisition, employee relations, learning and development, compensation, workforce planning, HR technology and people analytics.
At Choithrams, Perry leads the Human Resources function across the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, partnering with the CEO and senior leadership team on people strategy, organisational effectiveness and business transformation. He has played a key role in strengthening HR governance, developing shared services, workforce optimisation, leadership and succession planning, culture, policy development and the digitalisation and automation of HR processes.
His focus is on building a simple, efficient and future-ready HR function that understands the business, uses data and technology effectively, develops capable people and creates measurable value for the organisation. Perry is particularly passionate about continuous improvement, building internal capability and creating a culture where colleagues take ownership, keep learning and adapt to change.
GCC
Mark is a dynamic and visionary leader with extensive experience in the FMCG and grocery retail sectors across the Middle East. With a proven track record of driving growth, improving profitability, and leading transformative change, Mark excels in implementing strategies that promote innovation, operational efficiency, and a customer-centric approach.
His expertise spans FMCG, grocery retail, and other key industries such as banking, telecoms, and hospitality, providing him with a unique regional perspective on market dynamics. Known for inspiring high-performance teams and delivering sustainable results, Mark is a strategic communicator and innovative leader. His leadership is defined by a commitment to excellence, positioning organizations for long-term success in the fast-paced and competitive FMCG and grocery retail landscape.
Qatar
With a Masters in Business Administration and an extensive career spanning over 25 years in the FMCG sector with global and Indian MNC corporates, Cherian serves as the General Manager in Qatar for NBK Trading and Megamart. In this capacity, he strategically oversees the expansion of sales within the retail and commerce divisions in Qatar. Cherian is deeply involved in devising and executing comprehensive integrated business plans, fostering cross-functional effectiveness, and instilling a culture of performance, speed, and efficiency within the organization. Embracing a Founders mindset, he firmly believes that the strength of an individual is only as formidable as that of their team, embodying his role as a crucial business stakeholder in Qatar.
Bahrain
As General Manager of Bahrain operations, Anil manages the growth of sales and extends his responsibilities to procurement and leasing for the retail and commerce divisions for the company’s Babasons brand. His three decades experience in the retail industry allows him to successfully guide his team towards their combined goal of increasing sales and ensuring a smooth and seamless customer experience across all stores in the country.
Commerce
With over two decades of expertise in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in both local and multinational companies across the GCC, Africa and Asia, Kishore, the General Manager - Commerce at Choithrams has a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s intricacies and global dynamics. Centred on the philosophy of ‘performance with purpose’ Kishore is adept at guiding brands to align business decisions with evolving consumer needs, ensuring strategies drive financial success and contribute positively to society.
GCC
GCC
Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) at Choithrams, Smitha’s commitment towards her role is evident from her rich experience and vast educational background. Smitha led the first Choithrams supermarket to be certified in HACCP in 2009 and established a stringent and graded internal food safety audit program since 2010 to spearhead the food safety culture in the organization. An ardent believer of UN Sustainable Development Goals works at making key contributions towards the brand’s GRI (Global Reporting Initiatives) membership.
