Landmark moves into food retailing arena

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ROMERO: We have developed our own unique value proposition, of offering gourmet products at affordable prices.

The Landmark Group will introduce its new food retailing concept Gourmet Station next month at Dubai's Oasis Mall.

The store, the first of six outlets to open this year and 34 set to be unveiled within five years, will offer specialised products across all categories, including tea and coffee, confectionery, groceries, meat and fish.

Michael Romero, general manager, Speciality Food, Landmark Group, revealed that after moving to Dubai 18 months ago, he travelled across 13 countries visiting 40 food halls and "we spoke to a lot of people to see if Dubai was ready for gourmet food. There has been a very positive response Most of the developers are very excited about the project.

"We are developing a large concept between 15,000ft² and 25,000ft² and a second a smaller ‘grab and go' concept, anywhere between 100ft² and 2000ft²," he reveals.

The second store will open at Dukkan Qamardeen Souk, The Old Town, Burj Dubai, and will measure approximately 6000ft². He said that the retail conglomerate was also "looking at other markets including Qatar and Bahrain."

Gourmet Station has enlisted the expertise of the Fort Lauderdale-based Pavlik Design Team, ranked as one of the best interior design firms in the world and boasting clients including Lotte and Harrods in London.

"There are more than 100 different materials used in the store, from tiles to concrete and wooden flooring, and different types of ceramic and lighting. We have really looked at the details, extending this to smell management across the departments," he said.

The first store, spanning 7000ft², will have the look and feel of some of Europe's best known food markets.

Exclusivity will be central to the stores, he said, as the retailer will offer products not available at any supermarkets and its offering will include Grade A Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, Australian Wagyu beef, grass-fed Welsh lamb, Yves Touriet chocolates, cheeses and aged meats and the "culinary theatre" will be achieved with live cooking stations.

"We are going to be different from the supermarkets, from the way the departments are spread out to our offer, such as coffee ground to shoppers' specifications and the selection of rare teas, cakes and pastries and celebration cakes. Our main competitors will be small, specialist stores," Romero said.

"We will be selling exclusive products from across the globe, and 99% of them will be new to this market," he added.

Operating more than 750 retail stores, The Landmark Group's retail entities include SPAR Hypermarkets in India.

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