Founded in 1965 by Saad F. Al Khayyat as a single pharmacy, AKI today operates across pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, retail, food and non-food consumer goods, fitness, automotive, and environmental services in nine markets. In 2025, the group quadrupled its capacity in the UAE by opening a one million sq ft automated fulfillment center and launched AKI Logistics and AKI Creates. In 2026, it partnered with CJ Foods to expand K-food across the region.