Next-generation vertical farm & lab for innovative chefs
Where to Buy Microgreens in Dubai: A Supplier Guide for Restaurants
A microgreen spends roughly two weeks growing and a few seconds on the plate. Everything in between - harvest, packing, transport, a night in the walk-in - decides whether it lands as a crisp, bright accent or a tired green smudge.
That is why choosing a supplier for microgreens in Dubai matters more than it seems. Dubai's kitchens are among the most demanding in the world, but its climate makes growing delicate greens outdoors nearly impossible. For years, that meant flying them in.
We started Greeneration to change that, and today we grow microgreens and edible flowers for more than 1,300 restaurants, hotels and bars across the UAE. Below is an honest look at where Dubai kitchens buy microgreens, what to ask any supplier - including us - and how to switch without disrupting service.
That is why choosing a supplier for microgreens in Dubai matters more than it seems. Dubai's kitchens are among the most demanding in the world, but its climate makes growing delicate greens outdoors nearly impossible. For years, that meant flying them in.
We started Greeneration to change that, and today we grow microgreens and edible flowers for more than 1,300 restaurants, hotels and bars across the UAE. Below is an honest look at where Dubai kitchens buy microgreens, what to ask any supplier - including us - and how to switch without disrupting service.
Avocado toast with cream cheese, salmon roe and Pea Shoots
Where Dubai restaurants buy microgreens: four options
Most UAE kitchens source microgreens in one of four ways.
1. Importers and food distributors
The traditional route. Microgreens and cresses are grown abroad, usually in Europe, and air-freighted to Dubai. The range is wide and ordering is easy.
The trade-off is time. Between harvest, flights, customs and distribution, greens can spend several days in transit, and freight costs show up in the price.
2. Local vertical farms
Indoor farms grow microgreens under controlled light, temperature and humidity, so the weather outside doesn't matter. The big advantage is distance: a farm across town can harvest in the morning and deliver the same day.
Some focus on a few high-volume crops; others, like Greeneration, grow the specialty varieties fine-dining kitchens ask for, including some that used to be available only as imports.
3. Wholesale markets and retail
Handy in an emergency, but the range is limited, origin is often unclear and supply is unpredictable.
4. Growing your own
A great story, but it takes space, staff time and stable conditions - hard to justify unless it's part of the concept.
Most UAE kitchens source microgreens in one of four ways.
1. Importers and food distributors
The traditional route. Microgreens and cresses are grown abroad, usually in Europe, and air-freighted to Dubai. The range is wide and ordering is easy.
The trade-off is time. Between harvest, flights, customs and distribution, greens can spend several days in transit, and freight costs show up in the price.
2. Local vertical farms
Indoor farms grow microgreens under controlled light, temperature and humidity, so the weather outside doesn't matter. The big advantage is distance: a farm across town can harvest in the morning and deliver the same day.
Some focus on a few high-volume crops; others, like Greeneration, grow the specialty varieties fine-dining kitchens ask for, including some that used to be available only as imports.
3. Wholesale markets and retail
Handy in an emergency, but the range is limited, origin is often unclear and supply is unpredictable.
4. Growing your own
A great story, but it takes space, staff time and stable conditions - hard to justify unless it's part of the concept.
Curious how same-day greens compare with what you use now? Request free samples and taste them side by side.
Edible flowers growing at the Greeneration vertical farm in Dubai Industrial City
Five questions to ask any microgreens supplier
A price list tells you very little. These five questions tell you much more - and we've added our own answers, so you can hold us to the same standard.
1. When was it harvested?
Ask how many hours pass between cutting and delivery. Flavour and texture start to fade the moment microgreens are cut.
2. Do they grow what you actually cook with?
Pea shoots and radish are easy to find; red-veined sorrel or shiso for a signature dish are not. Check the full catalogue, not just the bestsellers.
3. Will the order look the same every week?
A dish built around an ingredient needs the same leaf size, colour and pack weight every week.
4. How and when do they deliver?
Look for fixed delivery windows, a clear order cut-off and an unbroken cold chain. Ask what happens if something arrives below standard.
5. Can they prove food safety?
Microgreens are usually eaten raw, so look for HACCP certification, batch traceability and audits by large hotel groups. Ask what the greens are grown in. Soil-grown microgreens often arrive with bits of soil and grit, so they need washing - and washing shortens their life in the fridge. Greens grown on a clean, soil-free substrate such as rock wool or coconut fibre can go straight from the box to the plate. At Greeneration, everything we grow is grown on rock wool.
A price list tells you very little. These five questions tell you much more - and we've added our own answers, so you can hold us to the same standard.
1. When was it harvested?
Ask how many hours pass between cutting and delivery. Flavour and texture start to fade the moment microgreens are cut.
2. Do they grow what you actually cook with?
Pea shoots and radish are easy to find; red-veined sorrel or shiso for a signature dish are not. Check the full catalogue, not just the bestsellers.
3. Will the order look the same every week?
A dish built around an ingredient needs the same leaf size, colour and pack weight every week.
4. How and when do they deliver?
Look for fixed delivery windows, a clear order cut-off and an unbroken cold chain. Ask what happens if something arrives below standard.
5. Can they prove food safety?
Microgreens are usually eaten raw, so look for HACCP certification, batch traceability and audits by large hotel groups. Ask what the greens are grown in. Soil-grown microgreens often arrive with bits of soil and grit, so they need washing - and washing shortens their life in the fridge. Greens grown on a clean, soil-free substrate such as rock wool or coconut fibre can go straight from the box to the plate. At Greeneration, everything we grow is grown on rock wool.
The microgreens Dubai chefs order most
These are the varieties UAE restaurants and hotels ordered from us most often in 2026 - the ones that earn a permanent spot in the walk-in.
These are the varieties UAE restaurants and hotels ordered from us most often in 2026 - the ones that earn a permanent spot in the walk-in.
A practical tip: most kitchens settle on three or four "workhorse" varieties for daily use and one or two signature greens for specific dishes. Start there rather than ordering a little of everything.
Every variety has a spec sheet
Growing great microgreens is only half the job. The other half is making sure the box you open next Tuesday looks exactly like the one you opened today. That’s why every product we grow has a written standard for size, colour, weight and packaging.
Take our pea shoots: they always arrive 60-90 mm long, the length that works best on the plate. No surprises or sorting through the box - you get exactly what you ordered, every time.
Want to see the full specs before you order? Ask our team for the product standards for the varieties you use.
Growing great microgreens is only half the job. The other half is making sure the box you open next Tuesday looks exactly like the one you opened today. That’s why every product we grow has a written standard for size, colour, weight and packaging.
Take our pea shoots: they always arrive 60-90 mm long, the length that works best on the plate. No surprises or sorting through the box - you get exactly what you ordered, every time.
Want to see the full specs before you order? Ask our team for the product standards for the varieties you use.
Chef plating chives microgreens with tweezers on savoury eclairs with caviar
Live microgreens in punnets, packed for delivery at our Dubai farm
How to switch suppliers without drama
Changing a supplier mid-season is nobody's idea of fun. Three steps keep the risk low - whichever farm you choose.
1. Taste samples. A supplier who is confident in their product will send free samples before you commit. If one won’t, take note. Compare the samples with what you use now, then check again after three or four days in the fridge.
2. Run a trial order. One or two weeks with your workhorse varieties is enough to see how delivery, packing and consistency hold up in real service.
3. Set up a standing order. Once you're confident, regular delivery days save your team time and let the farm plan crops around your menu.
Cut and live microgreens need different storage:
Changing a supplier mid-season is nobody's idea of fun. Three steps keep the risk low - whichever farm you choose.
1. Taste samples. A supplier who is confident in their product will send free samples before you commit. If one won’t, take note. Compare the samples with what you use now, then check again after three or four days in the fridge.
2. Run a trial order. One or two weeks with your workhorse varieties is enough to see how delivery, packing and consistency hold up in real service.
3. Set up a standing order. Once you're confident, regular delivery days save your team time and let the farm plan crops around your menu.
Cut and live microgreens need different storage:
- Cut microgreens go in the fridge at 3-7°C, in a closed container. Don’t wash them until you use them. Stored this way, they keep for 7-10 days.
- Live microgreens in punnets stay out of the fridge. Keep them at room temperature and water them now and then. They keep growing and can last two to three weeks.
FAQ
Cut microgreens from a local farm typically keep for 7-10 days at 3-7°C in a closed container. Live punnets can last two to three weeks if kept out of the fridge and watered regularly. Imported greens start that clock several days earlier, before they reach you.
Not necessarily. Local growing removes air freight, long cold storage and spoilage in transit - costs built into the price of imported greens. The fairest comparison is cost per usable gram: fewer wilted leaves means less waste.
Sprouts are germinated seeds eaten whole, root included. Microgreens grow longer, develop their first true leaves and are cut above the root, giving more flavour, colour and texture.
Yes. We deliver to restaurants, hotels and bars across Dubai on fixed delivery days. Get in touch to check the schedule for your area.
How to get free samples?
Go to this page and fill the form! We would be happy to deliver samples to your restaurant or hotel kitchen!