Dubai: Al Maya just got more popular with Asian customers. The UAE-based supermarket chain launched on Tuesday a Korean food section in its Al Muraqqabat branch, with plans to roll this out in 10 branches across the UAE in the next few days.

The new food section targets not just Koreans but all Asian customers, as Korean food also appeals to them, said Kamal Vachani, group director of Al Maya.

“Some of our supermarkets out of the 44 supermarkets cater to the Asian population. So to cater to them, we opened this section,” he said.

There are nearly 15,000 South Koreans in the UAE, of those 7,000 live in Dubai, said Namduk Heo, Consul General of South Korea to Dubai.

The new section currently offers 32 Korean food products from local suppliers, ranging from frozen and canned food to confectionary. But there are plans to increase the range of products on offer, Vachani said.

Heo pointed out that expatriates in the UAE are becoming more familiar with Korean food.

“Not many expatriates knew what Korean food is but now they have came to know… Al Maya has made tremendous efforts to expand Korean food products in shops across the UAE,” he said.