Amid the health crisis posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, more Filipino residents in the UAE are turning to bottled water—especially the one with low sodium—instead of other beverages as they increasingly become health-conscious.
This is according to Alexander van ‘t Riet, CEO of Mai Dubai, who highlighted the rising demand for healthier options among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in order to safeguard their well-being.
“We are currently observing a rising health consciousness among Filipino residents and as a result, they are increasingly moving away from carbonated soft drinks and other beverages to bottled water,” he said, adding that the pandemic has once again underscored the need to build immunity against illnesses.
Boosting immunity
The CEO also highlighted the great functional value of water during unforeseen health crises such as COVID-19, noting that it is the perfect source of hydration, which helps build immunity through facilitating the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of waste.
He added that bottled water provides consistent quality, purity and taste.
“We all know that hydration is extremely important to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Drinking plenty of water is necessary to eliminate toxins and ensure that our cells get all the nutrition and minerals they need to function efficiently,” he said. “In addition to removing toxins from the body, water also facilitates the absorption of nutrients and the removal of waste.”
When it comes to drinking water, Alexander highlighted that Mai Dubai is the chosen brand for Filipinos. This is according to their research that showed a significant increase in the number of OFWs who are purchasing their products.
Mai Dubai is a brand fully owned by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). It prides itself for being able to successfully address more than 15 percent increase in demand for bottled water in the last quarter, thanks to its advanced technological capabilities and a fully automated production unit.
“There has also been a rising demand for healthier options like zero-sodium water from the Filipino community, which is being addressed by Mai Dubai’s Zero-Sodium Alkaline water,” added the CEO.
Alexander said Mai Dubai’s latest Zero Sodium Alkaline water ensures faster hydration, and is developed to further encourage them in the adoption of healthy drinking habits and an active lifestyle.
“In addition to limiting the salt content in your diet, the high alkalinity, our Zero-Sodium Alkaline water provides the perfect combination of zero sodium and alkaline and great taste—making hydration much easier, ensuring overall well-being,” he added.
Focus on sustainability
When it comes to sustainability, Alexander said Mai Dubai has attached great significance to ecological consciousness since its inception—which is still clearly visible in all aspects of its operations.
He added that they are the only bottled water company in the world of such big size that operates 100 percent on solar energy, contributing to abating 10,000MTs of carbon emissions annually. Their manufacturing site, which is certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)—a national certification system for energy and resource-efficient buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)—also has an extensive water recycling system and an on-site waste treatment plant.
“It was our commitment to environmental goals that encouraged us to measure our carbon footprint in the very beginning so that we would have something to benchmark against and improve upon it year after year. We strongly believe that solar energy is a sustainable alternative source of energy that addresses our needs efficiently,” he said.
Mai Dubai also offers consumers a free service that allows them to return 16-litre PET bottles for recycling. They also work with several event partners to gather and collect discarded plastic bottles at major events for recycling purpose.
