Al Manama Supermarket: Branches, History, Locations & Current Status 

Al Manama Supermarket was a famous retail brand in the UAE, and UAE shoppers used to shop at the supermarket/hypermarket in Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai, and other emirates. It was founded in 1978 in Ajman and expanded to become a retail group with several branches. However, it can be difficult to locate accurate information regarding Al Manama Supermarket UAE today, as many older online listings include the contact information, opening times, and addresses of old branches of Al Manama Supermarket UAE that are no longer open. This guide describes the supermarket’s background, key sites, growth and current state, and identifies true historical data from obsolete listings. 

Quick Facts About the Supermarket

The founding information from 1978 is from Al Manama Group profiles, and in December 2018, Gulf News reported that the group had been running for over 40 years and had over 20 supermarkets/hypermarkets. 

What Was Al Manama Supermarket?

Al Manama Group was a UAE retail enterprise that started in 1978 in Ajman and included Al Manama Supermarket.

The group said that its initial UAE venture was a 16-member sales team and a 1200-square-foot outlet in Ajman. The company subsequently entered other markets in the UAE with supermarket and hypermarket stores. 

Here, it is advisable to differentiate between a supermarket and a hypermarket. A supermarket generally concentrates on food, beverages, household necessities, and everyday groceries. The typical hypermarket is a large grocery store with an oversized assortment of household and general merchandise.

Al Manama employed both forms in its growth.

The historical appeal of this brand was strongly linked with the issues of accessibility and competitiveness in relation to price and availability for day-to-day grocery shopping. Modern business descriptions focused on retail value and customer service as well, but these are positioning statements of the company and not independent measures of its performance. 

Al Manama Supermarket History in the UAE

The city of Al Manama has a long historical background that is closely associated with the emergence of modern retail in the Northern Emirates.

The group says it started in the UAE in 1978 with an initially small Ajman store. From that, the company grew its retail presence and established various supermarket/hypermarkets. 

As of 2018, Al Manama was, according to Gulf News, a nearly 40-year-old supermarket chain that has over 20 supermarkets and hypermarkets in the UAE. 

The brand has also been found in Sharjah, Ajman, and Dubai and has been listed in other emirates in the past.

This is why you can get results from several different UAE cities when searching for “Al Manama Supermarket”. It wasn’t a single neighborhood grocery store; it had grown into multiple locations.

The 2018 Turning Point

2018 is the most significant year to understand Al Manama’s current status.

Gulf News reported in December 2018 that many Al Manama branches of the group had closed owing to the alleged departure of its managing director from the UAE. Suppliers, staff and local sponsor complained that wages paid and payments to suppliers were excellent. These were claims made in the past and shouldn’t be framed as independent misconduct. 

Several outlets have closed, and workers and suppliers were left unpaid, suppliers told Khaleej Times separately. 

The group ceased operations as a result of the closure of its head office in the last week of November 2018, as reported in a later Gulf News report. 

This is why it is important to check the details of each individual supermarket when searching for an Al Manama Supermarket near me today, as they might be incorrect from a previous year’s entry in the directory.

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Al Manama Supermarket Branches and Locations

Al Manama outlets have been spotted in multiple cities in the UAE. The challenge, however, is to be cautious when dealing with the information in the branches, as many directory pages are still available on the Internet years after the chain’s operating closure.

Al Manama Supermarket in Ajman

The historical headquarters of Ajman was the company’s home, where the company started its operations in the UAE in 1978. 

The archived listings list several locations in Ajman:

• Al Manama Mall, Sheikh Rashid Street.
• Al Nuamiah
• A fire outlet across from the Municipal and Planning Office
• A location near the Ramada Plaza Hotel

Older directories may still list opening hours and phone numbers of these branches. For instance, an archived listing has the Al Manama Mall location on Sheikh Rashid Street and used to list it as a 24-hour branch.

The hours should not be taken as the current hours of business. The same source says that store hours and locations are subject to change, and independent contemporary reporting records the chain’s 2018 closure. 

Al Manama Supermarket in Sharjah

Al Manama had a significant past in Sharjah.

According to a UAEgovernment-relatedd Salik document dated 2014, there are three Al Manama sites:

• Rolla / Al Arouba Street
• Maliha Road
• Maysaloon

Each of these is identified as an Al Manama supermarket store in Sharjah. 

Another UAE business directory lists the Maysaloon site beside the fire station and gives an old Sharjah telephone number. 

Gulf News reported a serious fire at a supermarket at Rolla in 2017, making it a significant location. A 19-storey residential building was used for the supermarket on Al Arouba Street, on its first and ground floors. 

These records provide information on Al Manama Supermarket Sharjah, but not on the current existence of these outlets.

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Al Manama Supermarket in Dubai

Dubai was another location in which Al Manama was active; there were also historical listings of sites like Al Quoz, Al Karama, and Al Nahda.

An Al Manama Hypermarket is listed in Al Quoz Industrial 1 at Times Square Center. Current directory information flags that said business as permanently closed. 

Other historical records of the business directories show Al Manama facilities in Karama and Nahda in Dubai. These listings are in line with media reports from the recent past that the group ran a big multi-emirate network until it shut down in 2018.

Al Manama Supermarket in Fujairah

Historical business directories also list an Al Manama Hypermarket in Fujairah, located on Mohammed Bin Matar Road, close to Dana Plaza. One directory gives a historical landline number for the location. 

The listing may not be representative of current activity; visitors are advised that this location may not be an active Al Manama store.

Umm Al Quwain and Other Historical Locations

Al Manama Hypermarket in Umm Al Quwain is also mentioned in archived sources in the UAE. In 2018, a UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announcement singled out Al Manama Hypermarket in Umm Al Quwain for a breast-cancer awareness activity. 

Further examples of misleading old directory pages come with a current map showing that the business listed as an Al Manama Hypermarket on King Faisal Road in Umm Al Quwain has been shuttered.

Al Manama Supermarket: Nearby Attractions and Services

The surroundings of the Al Manama region of Ajman are a combination of heritage sites, museums, mountain views, and services. Al Manama is situated close to the slopes of the Hajar Mountains, about an hour away from the centre of Ajman.

Red Fort

Red Fort is a historic landmark in Al Manama. It has its traditional structure with red-plastered exterior walls and historic towers.

Manama Museum

Manama Museum is located in a historic fort and features exhibits such as traditional weapons, Bedouin jewellery, and handicrafts. It offers an easy way to experience a visit to Al Manama along with a cultural experience.

Hassa Buweid Castle

Al Manama’s other heritage landmark is the Hassa Buweid Castle. The castle was built in 1976 and is linked to the area’s history.

Mountain Scenery

Al Manama has a distinctive landscape, set against the backdrop of the Hajar Mountains. Visitors can explore the surrounding countryside and enjoy the quiet environment away from the city of Ajman.

Nearby Food Options

There are also local cafeterias and restaurants for everyday meals and refreshments available in the Al Manama community. Red Crosses and Area Guides refer to places like Sabr Al Manama Cafeteria, Shamal Restaurant & Firdous Restaurant.

Is Al Manama Supermarket Still Open?

The historical supermarket chain Al Manama is no longer a big UAE supermarket chain.

The most convincing evidence is the reporting that occurred in recent years, in late 2018. Gulf News said that before the closure, the chain had over 20 supermarkets and hypermarkets, with many of its branches having closed. 

The chain is then said to have been closed from 2019 onwards by other sources. For instance, a recent listing for the business premises at Al Quoz says that the business at Al Manama Hypermarket is now permanently closed.

There is, however, a big information problem on the web, with some websites still showing old Al Manama Hypermarket branches, opening hours, telephone numbers, and promotional flyers. The sites look like they’ve held up historical information, and it is not intended that this information will confirm that the stores are open in 2026.

I’m not sure if any of the Al Manama Supermarket branches are in operation as Al Manama Supermarket. All current evidence suggests that the historical chain stopped running its retail business.

Why Do Some Websites Still Show Al Manama Opening Hours?

This is one of the most common reasons behind the confusion about Al Manama Supermarket UAE.

Often, after the demise of a business, business directories will keep the pages with older listings containing addresses, telephone numbers, reviews, or historical promotional material.

For instance, archived Al Manama listings still list branches in Ajman and Sharjah with hours open, whereas the recent independent contemporary reporting lists the company’s closure. 

You could thus get back:

Historical directory listing → historical address → historical opening hours

rather than:

Determined the current service, hours, and store location.Verified the service, hours, and store location.

The second kind of information is relevant when the user is about to go shopping.

What Products Did Al Manama Supermarket Sell?

Al Manama’s business model was a supermarket and hypermarket model with a focus on food and grocery shopping, but also a wider retail sector that was linked with hypermarket activities.

According to historical descriptions, the business is described as a supermarket/hypermarket retailer and not a specialist store. Foodstuff operations and import of fresh and chilled meat related to the wider business ecosystem are also included in employee information for the period. 

It would be incorrect to create a set of modern product selections for a now-defunct chain of outlets.

Traditionally, customers could look for the range of categories that they would find in a supermarket, such as:

• Fresh and packaged food
• Meat and chilled products
• Household groceries
• Beverages
• Everyday household items
• Other general merchandise at larger hypermarket locations

Specific historical stock is not current stock availability.

Al Manama Supermarket Offers and Discounts

The other common search is for Al Manama Supermarket offers.

Historically,y the chain was known for promotions and discounting. Promotions like “Mega Weekend Delight”, “Extreme Weekend Blowout” and “Marvelous Midweek Deals” are archived. 

But these types of promotions are past, and certain pages that are archived clearly indicate that offers are no longer available.

Hence, it is not possible to assume that websites displaying old Al Manama promotional flyers indicate current promotions.

If a search result states that a particular Al Manama offer is in play today, it should be checked first before going to a location or buying.

Al Manama Supermarket vs. Al Manama Area in Ajman

One of the significant search-intent differences is the difference between Al Manama Supermarket and Al Manama Ajman.

Al Manama is also the name of a locality in the Emirate of Ajman. Modern area guides talk about the supermarkets in the Al Manama community, and other stores like Market Square, Noor Al Madina Supermarket, and Saif Supermarket. 

This will search for:

The supermarket “Al Manama Ajman”.

Can apply to either:

1. The retail brand of the historical Al Manama Supermarket,
2. Supermarket in Al Manama, Ajman.

It is therefore crucial to verify the precise name and address of the business.

What Happened to Al Manama Supermarket?

The big collapse was in late 2018.

The company’s management was in a serious financial and operational crisis, according to contemporary reports. Suppliers and workers claimed unpaid sums, and the local sponsoring company and others said the managing director had left the UAE. Many stores closed; Khaleej Times reported claims from suppliers about unpaid workers and suppliers. 

The reports are intended to be read as a report of the allegations and circumstances at the time, and should not be used to draw broad legal inferences.

The result for all involved was more apparent by the end of 2018 – the retail network that had been in operation for approximately 40 years was not operating normally.

This is why you see a variety of old branches, archived offers, old business pages, as well as historical references in today’s searches.

Al Manama Supermarket: What Shoppers Should Know Today

If you’re looking for an Al Manama branch so you can make your purchases there today, the most critical factor is to check the address before heading there.

Information on an address in a directory can be historical information, and it may even list hours of operation, although this is not always the case. This applies especially to old branches in Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai, and Umm Al Quwain.

Given the available evidence, the most conservative reading is:

• Al Manama was a true UAE supermarket and hypermarket group.
• Started from Ajman in 1978.
• It spread to other Emirates in the UAE.
• Before the crisis of 2018, it ran over 20 supermarkets and hypermarkets.
• Many outlets closed during the shutdown reported at the end of 2018.
• A few online directory pages still contain historical branch details.
• Those listings are for former operations; current operations cannot be verified. 

Conclusion 

Al Manama Supermarket was an established retail establishment inthe  UAE that began in Ajman in 1978 and eventually spread its supermarket and hypermarket business throughout multiple emirates. It is known to have existed in Sharjah, and in 2018, there were over 20 supermarkets and hypermarkets operating, with many locations shuttered in the wake of its disruption. With the changing times of today, it’s crucial to verify the information on Al Manama Supermarket UAE, as many of the older websites still list the old branch locations, phone numbers, hours of operation, and promotions. These archived listings are not intended to be proof that a branch is still in operation, and do not automatically constitute evidence that it is.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Al Manama Supermarket still open in the UAE?

No, the previous Al Manama Supermarket chain mostly shut down in 2018.

When was Al Manama Supermarket established?

Al Manama Supermarket started its UAE operations in 1978 in Ajman.

Where was the first Al Manama Supermarket?

The first Al Manama Supermarket was opened in Ajman, UAE.

How many branches did Al Manama have?

Before its closure in 2018, the group ran 20 or more supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Did Al Manama Supermarket operate in Sharjah?

Absolutely, Al Manama Supermarket’s branches are located throughout Sharjah, such as Rolla, Maliha Road, and Maysaloon.

Did Al Manama Supermarket have branches in Dubai?

Yes, there were historical branches in Al Quoz, Karam, and Al Nahda.

Why are Al Manama listings still online?

Even though the stores are closed, a lot of websites remain up and running with historical store information, store hours, and promotions.