Behind The Scenes: Dubai’s Biggest Organic Market

Do your fridge and yourself a favour and visit the Ripe Organic & Craft Market at The Courtyard, Al Quoz. A one-stop shop for healthy eaters, you can treat yourself to items found nowhere else in Dubai. Here are just a few of the buys available…

Ripe 
This organic company that started out by filling recycled cardboard boxes with locally grown fruit and vegetables, kickstarted it all. Their produce scheme became so popular that they went from organising food deliveries to opening their own farm shop.
www.ripeme.com 

Gourmet Point
This flavoured-oil company went down a storm at the Good Food Show. As well as featuring at the market, they sell their items at large supermarkets in Dubai. But owner Punit Bhatia says that the market takes some beating: “People get to try all the products at the market and they can’t really do that in a supermarket.”

Awesome Jassim’s Cookies
Jassim whips up these cookies using a recipe from the States. Free of preservatives and additives, these cookies are 100 per cent home made.

Made In Italia
Italian dishes just like mama used to make. Look out for extra virgin olive oils and artisan pasta, as well as rice and risotto too. They sell to five-star hotels, but if you head to the market, they will sell them to you as well.
www.madeinitalia.co

Culimer
Fish lovers need to make a stop at this stall. You can stock up on whole crab, shrimps, tuna steak and tuna saku. We can just feel those omega-3 levels rising.
www.culimer.com 

Sweet Connection
Sweet Connection is the only 100 per cent gluten-free kitchen in Dubai. Coming to the rescue of swollen tummies everywhere, this team serve up bread and cookies that are free of preservatives, trans-fats or additives. They also make dairy-free treats too.
www.sweetconnectiondubai.com

Jocelyn’s Homemade 
This market holder started by selling crafts with a few pickles on the side. “I don’t know what happened, but they went mad for the pickles and didn’t focus on the crafts,’ says Jocelyn. “So now I making pickles, with a few crafts on the side.” Sample them yourself on your next visit.
Facebook/jocelynshomemade