The farmer is considered the backbone of the development of the palm industry in the country and the main axis to improve the quality of dates. Thus, supporting the farmer by meeting his needs is one of the most important priorities that Al Foah Company has made it the subject of its interests.

That is why this company was interested from the day it was established to help the farmers by guiding, supporting and providing them with all possibilities and services, noted that a new policy of supporting the farmers has been applied since 2007 and the percentage of those who have benefited from this policy has reached to 75%, thus Al Foah company believes that the success of this economic sector is based on the successful farmer who provides high-quality dates that guarantees an internationally unique image of the United Arab Emirates.

The optimal use of the dates on economic basis:

The optimal use of dates has been achieved by taking the advantages of dates received from the farms of citizens and processing them according to the latest international quality standards and minimizing waste in the form of animal feeds However, all that has contributed to the transformation of dates factories from losses to profitability by raising productivity of the energy factories from 30 thousand tons in 2005 to 74 thousand tons in 2008, therefore, increasing sales revenue by 170% during 3 years. It has also been working on improving the quality of manufacturing to keep abreast of new brands through the introduction of screening and re-designing the production processes and quality.

Taking the dates of the UAE globally:

Al Foah is seeking to jump-start globally with its dates through increasing awareness of the culture of the Palm which represents a long history of the UAE society and its originality. Al Foah is also working on spreading UAE dates on the international level by opening new markets in 12 countries. In addition to the former quantity of 47 tons of dates that has been exported to16 countries; the volume of export of dates has reached to 26 thousand tons, bringing the total of countries 28 countries. Note that the export sales represent more than 90% of the dates of the citizens.

Making the national identity a bridge for achievement:

The country's resources and the upgrading of its economy are the responsibilities of the generations of this country. Out of this spirit, Al Foah has taken on a high national responsibility which has been embedded in the national identity and the employment of young people to put a clear mark in the UAE to achieve the spread of dates which reflect the past and the ancestral heritage of the UAE society. UAE nationals hold 62 % of the jobs in Al Foah, and it should be noted that Al Foah adopts training programs for its citizens, like: training opportunities for women students to work as employees to receive dates from the UAE farmers during the dates’ marketing season to prepare them for the labor market. Recently, 30 young UAE ladies have joined the program for a unique and successful experience.

Research and Development:

In order to achieve His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's vision, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court and Chairman of General Holding Corporation to bring the remarkableness of dates to every person all over the world, we first conducted research to understand what consumers in some key markets know and think of dates. We conducted consumer research in the UAE, UK, USA, Japan, China and India. We found that even the non-Arab non-Muslim consumers are very interested in the potential benefits of dates. However, although they are aware of dates, dates are not part of their daily consideration set. Some people have never even tasted them. In order for such people to adopt dates, we need to not only educate them about the health benefits of dates, but also to incorporate the dates with other ingredients into new recipes and formats that are part of the modern daily life e.g. bars and juices. We thus embarked on journey to:

• Scientifically analyze the health benefits of dates using modern laboratory techniques that are approved by the health authorities in the developed countries. We have commissioned several studies in UK and Japan, to analyze the micronutrient components of dates (vitamins, minerals, sugars, fibers, etc.), as well as studies to assess the impact of consuming dates on various human illnesses, such as blood pressure, diabetes and others. The results so far are very positive, with dates coming out as a superfruit in terms of its vitamin/ mineral/ fiber content, and in terms of its positive effect on people suffering from diabetes or blood pressure. We also have several studies in progress, including a full antioxidants analysis of dates, as well as a detailed dates DNA.
• Develop an exciting range of products based on dates, including several bars featuring dates, other dried fruits and nuts, as well as juices and dairy drinks, and various sweets for children.