How Mai Dubai is blending digital transformation, sustainability, marketing

Alexander van ’t Riet, CEO Mai Dubai

Amidst stiff market competition, Mai Dubai recognises the importance of building a distinct brand that delivers value. Mai Dubai efforts have been geared towards this end and have made it one of the leading entities in the bottled water industry. The company’s vision is to produce the highest quality drinking water that is balanced with a blend of minerals whilst still being low in sodium. This places Mai Dubai in standing with consumers who associate the term water with life.

Mai Dubai’s red bottle is also iconic so is Mai Dubai green alkaline, both of which help to differentiate Mai Dubai brand from market competitors. Combining these with all Mai Dubai programmes, it is now synonymous with excellence, quality, sustainability, digital innovation and consumer experience.

Leading a rapidly growing organisation is all about priorities and execution. Imagine being at sea whilst building your boat to more than twice its size. That is effectively what the Mai Dubai team has done over the last few years.

Mai Dubai has been building a state-of-the-art plant, strengthening good corporate governance, recruiting the best talents, building the Mai Dubai brand and providing Mai Dubai consumers and partners with predictable services. Mai Dubai is looking for next best alternative, and trains and provides staff with a nurturing workplace.

Digital transformation is essential for Mai Dubai’s business of delivering high-quality bottled water products to the markets. In light of this, operations in Mai Dubai’s facility are automated with practically no human intervention.

From the arrival of raw materials into the Mai Dubai warehouse to the loading of the final product onto the trucks for dispatch, the processes are automated through cranes and conveyors. Additionally, Mai Dubai runs a 100% solar-powered smart factory at Al Qudra, including the state-of-the-art Super Combi technology.

Super Combi can produce a maximum output of 86,000 bottles per hour, about 23 bottles a second. Modern industrial technology enables the company to lead the way in raising the competitiveness of the industry.

Anything that can become digital will become digital. One cannot ignore this fact. Clients want to order digital, pay digital and get digital receipts. In manufacturing plants, machine efficiencies are tracked and analysed with advanced software. Even the basic mechanical equipment is digitally enhanced to allow for preventive and predictive maintenance.

For the delivery fleet, truck movements and drivers’ behaviour are tracked to ensure safe deliveries. Mai Dubai operations could not be done efficiently without digital innovations.

As sustainability is vital to Mai Dubai success, Mai Dubai has taken initiatives to reduce the environmental impact. The endeavours have been challenging but required in building a sustainable future for all. Over the years, Mai Dubai has been integrating sustainability into its business processes to reduce Mai Dubai carbon footprint.

As a result, Mai Dubai has accomplished a net-zero energy consumption for the past two consecutive years. Mai Dubai is confident that it can achieve more, as it expands its active role in the sustainability goals of Dubai and UAE.


Acquisition or transformation for innovation?

There is space for both transformation and acquisition depending on your company strategy and vision. Acquisitions are a quick way to add to your top line and sometimes bottom line. But mergers or takeovers do take an extraordinary amount of effort and energy from the company. In Mai Dubai’s case, it has grown organically and has been outperforming the market since inception. Growing that quick necessitates continuous reinvention of ourselves as an organisation.


Key takeaways

  • Mai Dubai’s red bottle is iconic so is Mai Dubai’s green alkaline.
  • Leading a rapidly growing organisation is all about priorities and execution.
  • Imagine being at sea whilst building your boat to more than twice its size.
  • Digital transformation is essential for Mai Dubai’s business of delivering high-quality bottled water products.
  • Operations in Mai Dubai’s facility are automated with practically no human intervention.
  • Mai Dubai runs a 100% solar-powered smart factory at Al Qudra, including the state-of-the-art Super Combi technology.
  • Super Combi can produce a maximum output of 86,000 bottles per hour, about 23 bottles a second.
  • For the delivery fleet, truck movements and drivers’ behaviour are tracked to ensure safe deliveries.
  • Mai Dubai operations could not be done efficiently without digital innovations.
  • Mai Dubai has accomplished net-zero energy consumption for the past two consecutive years.

Mai Dubai has been building a state-of-the-art plant, strengthening corporate governance, recruiting best talent, and providing predictable services.

Alexander van ’t Riet, CEO Mai Dubai
Alexander van ’t Riet, CEO, Mai Dubai.