Al Safeer Group opens Dh8 million hypermarket in Ajman's Helio community

Al Safeer Group opens Dh8 million hypermarket in Ajman's Helio community

Al Safeer Group inaugurated its newest Safeer Market hypermarket in Helio, Ajman on Thursday, 23 July 2026, marking a Dh8 million investment in one of the emirate's fastest-growing residential areas. The opening reinforces the expansion strategy of the retail group, which operates more than 80 multi-format stores across the UAE, Oman and Qatar, employing over 6,000 people.

The 3,500 square metre store is positioned to serve Helio's expanding communities near the Ajman-Sharjah border. The area comprises three sub-communities—Al Helio 1, Al Helio 2 and Al Helio Downtown—and has emerged as a sought-after residential destination featuring mid-rise apartments and villas, attracting residents and investors with affordable property prices and strategic location.

The new branch has generated more than 150 employment opportunities, contributing to the UAE's economic growth while supporting local communities. Since its founding in 1985 with a single Shop N Save outlet in Sharjah, Al Safeer Group has grown into one of the largest retail organizations in the region.

Comprehensive retail destination

Designed as a complete neighborhood shopping hub, the Helio hypermarket stocks an extensive range of groceries, fresh food, household essentials, electronics, homeware, toys, fashion and lifestyle products. The store also houses Al Safeer Group's retail concepts including Eternity, Smartbaby, Shoes4Us and Youniq, providing a one-stop shopping experience for families.

A key attraction is the enhanced Fresh Food destination, featuring a dedicated bakery with a traditional in-house Arabic oven producing fresh Arabic bread, Manakish and regional favorites throughout the day. Customers can access premium fresh fruits and vegetables, a full-service butchery, fresh fish and seafood counter, deli section, cheese and pickle offerings, plus comprehensive chilled and frozen product ranges.

The branch includes a live BBQ and grill station where shoppers can have selected meat, poultry, seafood and fish freshly marinated and grilled to preference. A dedicated fish cleaning and preparation service adds convenience for families.

Market context

The opening comes as the UAE's grocery and supermarket segment experiences robust growth, with annual expansion estimated at more than 13% in 2026, driven by population growth, urbanization and evolving consumer preferences. Consumer spending in the UAE rose 13% in 2023 compared to 2022, with retail-specific expenditures growing 14%, particularly in hypermarkets and supermarkets.

The UAE grocery retail market was valued at US$40 billion in 2023, with hypermarkets and supermarkets accounting for approximately 85% of consumer spending in the sector. The broader UAE retail sector is projected to expand from $145.3 billion currently to $227.1 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%, according to InterRegional for Strategic Analysis.

Al Safeer's Helio launch follows the group's announcement in May 2026 of a state-of-the-art distribution center in Sajjah, Sharjah, featuring over 300,000 square feet of warehousing space to support retail expansion across the UAE.

Sustainability initiatives

The Helio branch incorporates sustainable retail practices including energy-efficient LED lighting, self-checkout counters and initiatives to reduce plastic shopping bag use. The store promotes digital payment methods and electronic receipts to minimize paper consumption while enhancing customer convenience, aligning with broader industry trends where e-commerce and digital sales in the UAE hypermarket sector grew 19% in 2023.

The opening of our Helio branch marks another important milestone in Al Safeer Group's growth journey. As communities continue to grow across the UAE, we remain committed to investing in modern retail destinations that deliver quality, freshness, convenience and exceptional value. We are excited to welcome the residents of Helio and neighboring communities to experience our newest Safeer Market and the wide range of products and services it has to offer.

Rashmi Kalwani Pandya, Vice Chairperson of Al Safeer Group

To mark the grand opening, customers can access launch promotions, exclusive opening offers and benefits through the Safeer Plus loyalty program. Al Safeer Group invites residents of Helio, Ajman and surrounding communities to visit the new shopping destination.