Plenty Unlimited Inc. and Mawarid Holding Investment – a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, a publicly listed company on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange – have entered into an exclusive, multi-year, region-wide partnership to bring locally grown fresh produce to countries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The joint venture will invest more than AED500 million (US$130 million) into the partnership’s first project in the GCC – an indoor vertical farm in Abu Dhabi, designed to grow more than two million kilograms of strawberries annually. The joint venture plans to develop up to five farms in the next five years, which would require investing up to AED2.5 billion (US$680 million) and bring thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities to the region.

The Abu Dhabi farm will develop a year-round supply of berries for both the local UAE market and export to other GCC countries, replacing air freight and reducing food miles compared to current imports. The farm’s complete production of strawberries is already pre-committed to Plenty partner and berry leader Driscoll’s, which will also contribute its proprietary genetics, global brand and market experience.

According to Plenty, the new farm will be the world’s first commercial-scale vertical strawberry farm outside of North America, following the opening of Plenty’s first strawberry farm in Virginia later this year – also in partnership with Driscoll’s. Construction on the Abu Dhabi farm, which will be approximately 7,500 square meters (81,000 square feet), is targeted to be completed in late 2026.

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