Made here, trusted here: What it takes to be a truly homegrown brand in the UAE

Khaleej Times

24-03-2025

There's a difference between operating in the UAE and being shaped by it. That difference is showing up more clearly in the way long-standing local brands are responding to a new kind of public expectation — one that values cultural grounding and a deeper sense of belonging.
Regional producers are entering a different kind of scrutiny. It's no longer enough to manufacture locally or source responsibly. Brands are expected to understand where they operate, reflect it back to consumers, and stay visible in cultural and national life.
In the UAE, one company that's been navigating that space longer than most is Masafi. 'Masafi was built in the UAE, for the UAE,' says CEO Saood Al Ghurair. 'That foundation influences every decision we make, from how we source our water to how we engage with consumers.'
That sensibility comes through most clearly during moments that carry national and emotional weight. During the holy month of Ramadan, Masafi collaborated with Emirati artist Mariam Abbas on a special edition bottle design - less a marketing flourish, more a quiet tribute to shared memory. 'The design wasn't about creating limited-edition packaging,' Al Ghurair says. 'It was about honoring the resilience and traditions that shaped this country.'
It's a gesture that sits within a wider pattern. The brand's connection to culture runs through its supply chain, partnerships, and public presence year-round. 'We invest in local talent, collaborate with homegrown suppliers, and create initiatives that celebrate the culture we come from,' he says. 'In our Ramadan campaign, we didn't just put Emirati heritage on our packaging but actively brought a national story to life in a way that resonated with every household.'
That clarity of origin - cultural, operational, and geographic - is becoming more visible in the way Masafi speaks and scales. 'Masafi has always been produced in the UAE using local expertise and resources to meet global standards,' Al Ghurair says. 'Every drop of our water is sourced here, and we've built world-class production capabilities to ensure quality at every stage.'
Cultural visibility beyond campaigns
For a category as crowded as bottled water, quality isn't just technical. It's reputational. Consistency, especially at scale, is what allows a brand to move from trusted to generational. Masafi's infrastructure has grown in response to rising demand, but not without caution. 'Scale only matters if it's done with care,' Al Ghurair says. 'We've expanded production, optimized logistics, and strengthened our distribution to ensure that increased demand never affects quality.'
This combination of control and responsiveness is becoming a defining feature of how regional producers maintain relevance. But responsiveness isn't limited to operational upgrades. It includes how a brand stays visible, meaningful, and relevant in the everyday.
'People expect more from the brands they trust,' Al Ghurair says. 'Not just in product standards but in the role they play in daily life.' That role, in Masafi's case, often intersects with important cultural touchpoints. 'That's why Masafi remains present in cultural and community moments, where hydration is a part of tradition.'
With consumer behaviour gravitating towards wellness-oriented choices, the definition of value is expanding. Hydration is no longer neutral. People are looking for products that align with how they live - and how they want to feel. What once might have been communicated as technical - like mineral content or filtration processes - now folds into a broader narrative around lifestyle and well-being. 'People care more about what they consume, and they expect brands to keep up,' Al Ghurair says. That expectation goes beyond ingredients; it touches design, transparency, and tone. A recent brand refresh reflects that shift. The new visual identity is stripped down, clean, and deliberately minimal - meant to speak in the same visual language consumers now associate with trust. 'Our branding reinforces that we are modern, clean, and aligned with how today's consumers engage with brands,' he says.
The evolution has been steady rather than dramatic. There is no pivot, no reinvention - just calibration. That, perhaps, is what sets Masafi's trajectory apart. It isn't trying to rewrite its role; it's refining it. The company doesn't speak in the language of disruption, because it doesn't need to.
'Masafi has been at the center of this industry for nearly 50 years,' Al Ghurair says. 'And we've done that by adapting without losing what makes us trusted in the first place.'