Azahara Arif runs Frutas Azahara, one of the fastest-growing fruit empires in Spain, with her husband and daughter by her side.
The Moroccan immigrant and her family first arrived in Spain in the ‘90s. Now, they have a chain of 41 of the fruit and vegetable markets, and over 250 employees in Madrid and Segovia.
Frutas Azahara focuses on quality ingredients, single stores
Frutas Azahara has a simple formula for success: fresh fruits and vegetables, of diverse origin and widespread distribution. First, they started out as a single shop in 2001. Since then, they have grown into more than three dozen individual markets all over Madrid in the last 19 years, and an annual €28 million turnover.
In addition to produce, Frutas Azahara also sells to restaurants and other stores. They import their fruits and vegetables, some from neighboring Morocco, and many from outside of Madrid. Andrés Suárez, an official from the association of wholesalers at Mercamadrid, says, “they are reliable, meticulous people… they are an example of the great things that good work can lead to.” These qualities have led to Azahara’s widespread success.
Originally from Morocco, Azahara’s story is the Spanish “American Dream”
Azahara Arif arrived in Spain in 1990 from her native Morocco at the age of 26. After working as a housecleaner and nanny, she met her husband in Madrid. Her husband, Mouhy Eddine Azzi, happened to be working in a market garden at the time. Eventually, they opened a cafeteria, then a butcher’s shop, and finally, a fruit and vegetable market in 2001.
Currently, Azahara and Mouhy run the chain of stores with their daughter Lamia. Mouhy suffered a heart attack recently. So, he has decreased his involvement in the business. But he leaves it in good hands with their daughter.
Daughter Lamia to take on the reins at Frutas Azahara
“If someone just told me about it, I would find it unlikely, but I have seen it with my own eyes,” says Lamia, recalling how she would accompany her parents to the market garden as a child. “I would like to encourage anyone with a project in mind not to give up. You can achieve whatever you want if you are motivated,” she adds.
Lamia has been using the Covid lockdown to her advantage. She has focused on expanding her family’s business as the financial director. For example, her plans include opening more stores and exploring the e-commerce frontier. Lamia speaks four languages and holds two master’s degrees. She is dedicated to using this knowledge to pave an even more expansive path for her family and families like hers.
Check out the official website for Frutas Azahara here.
