ABU DHABI // The public appetite for organic fruit and vegetables in the capital was finally satisfied with the opening of the Ripe Food & Craft Market on Saturday.
Thousands of shoppers attended the outdoor market at The Collection on St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort to buy wares from 35 vendors selling organic fruits and vegetables, handcrafted clothes, jewellery, handbags, wooden toys and decorations as well as fresh gelato, doughnuts, gourmet popcorn, coconut yogurt and organic green juice.
“Abu Dhabi’s heart is finally beating,” said Muna Kassissieh, 33, a Palestinian who has lived in Abu Dhabi all her life. “This is actually working, like there are people here, there’s a buzz, there’s a hustle. I’m very happy about this.”
Live music featuring a solo acoustic guitarist filled the busy courtyard, giving the market a laid-back soundtrack as families and friends strolled along the stalls.
The market is a scaled-down version of the Ripe Dubai market, which has been in operation since 2012.
Johanna Legaspi said it was the only place in town she could go to buy organic, fresh kale for a good price.
“We were going to Dubai for the same and when we found out there was going to be here in Abu Dhabi, we were very excited,” said Mrs Legaspi, 32, a Filipina resident of Abu Dhabi.
“You can get kale for Dh10, normally, it’s like Dh20. It’s all organic and the market is outdoor so you can just chill and relax and there’s music as well,” she said.
By noon, just two hours after it opened, the fruit and vegetables stall had sold out of its two varieties of kale and cauliflower.
“Everyone’s looking for kale, everyone’s looking for it,” said Ram Pidlaoan, of Ripe. “It’s really nutritious. Some people like to make kale chips out of it or they use it for juicing and in stir fry.”
Ripe market also sells small and large boxes of mixed vegetables or fruits. Most of the produce comes from organically-certified farms from across the UAE, so the selection varies from season to season.
Shoppers also flocked to the 2birds stall where co-owners Sue Stepheson and Caroline Farrell were selling a colourful collection of light rayon dresses, jewellery and Turkish beach towels. The Australians were impressed with the high turnout on opening day.
“I think they’ve been desperate for something like this down here,” said Mrs Farrell. “There’s a few markets in Dubai but there’s not as many markets like this that have got a real mix of vendors.”
Sunny’s Pop, a Dubai-based business that sells Texas gourmet popcorn, nearly sold out of stock.
Sunny Landeros, the company’s founder, said: “Abu Dhabi has turned out really well for this. I’m really impressed and really, really happy.”
The enthusiasm was shared by most patrons, but a few had tips for improvement.
“It’s lovely, except it’s too small,” said Gulnar Elzeeni, 33, a Turkish resident of Abu Dhabi. “It’s really awesome, but it needs more stores. It should be slightly extended further. It could be moved to a park — all the parks here are empty.”
Hamda Omar, who visited with her daughter, husband and friend, said she would also like to see more Emirati-run businesses on display.
“It’s a good start, but maybe get more local talent and a bigger space,” said Mrs Omar.
The Ripe Abu Dhabi market will continue 10am to 2pm every Saturday at The Collection on St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.
rpennington@thenational.ae
