Emke ramps up Omani empire in mall move

zoom

ALI: five malls set to open in Oman by first quarter of 2010.

Group's plans for more Lulu hypermarkets and malls pump more investment into the country.

The UAE's Emke Group plans to boost its Lulu hypermarket business by opening five shopping malls in Oman.

Ashraf Ali M.A, executive director, Emke Group told Retail News Middle East the company will invest RO 70 million in its expansion drive, which will raise the number of Omani employees from 1340 to 2200 by 2010.

The chain will extend its existing Baushar hypermarket into a 1.6 million-ft² shopping mall, tipped to open in early 2010. The project will feature more than 150 international brands, a 30-outlet food court and an amusement centre.

The company also plans to open 350,000ft² 'mini malls' in Salalah and Nizwa, both set for completion by 2009. Both malls will feature up to 100 retail outlets and 18,000m² hypermarkets.

In the same year, a 300,000ft² mall will open in Buraimi, and another reaching 200,000ft² in Musandam.

Rents and available land have been the chief draws to development in Oman, Ali said, and the company aims to create "international shopping malls, to respond to the demand among consumers for more entertainment and amusement during the shopping experience."

Ali revealed the company, which currently operates six hypermarkets in Baushar, Darsait, Seeb, Barka, Sohar and Salalah across more than 1.2 million ft² of floor space in the country, is also "looking at opportunities in India, Egypt, and Syria."

He said that 20,000ft² Lulu hypermarkets are also set to open in Qatar in Doha and Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia.

Yusuffali MA, managing director of Emke Group said, "Right from day one, we were quite positive about the Omani market and the rapid growth that we have achieved here in a short span is testimony to our confidence in the strong economy of the country.

"With the all round development taking place in Oman under the wise leadership of HM Sultan Qaboos, we feel very encouraged to launch newer ventures in different parts of the Sultanate."

The company has already invested RO 90 million (US $233.8 million) on its existing outlets in Oman, according to Yusuffali.

He described the country as "one of our key focus markets in the region," and said the "multi-level retailer" is "constantly looking at offering new shopping and leisure experiences to both residents and tourists," he added.

The group currently employs an 18,000-strong team of 29 nationalities across 18 countries, and plans to open 12 new hypermarkets by the end of next year in a bid to reinforce its number one position in the region.

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

USER COMMENTS (0 COMMENTS)

POST A COMMENT

CLICK HERE TO POST A COMMENT

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.