Bahrain
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Print
Email
Discuss this article (6 Comments)UAE retail group eyes $1.17bn Indian expansion plan
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Wednesday, 26 August 2009
SUPERMARKET PLAN: Emke Group is planning to expand its supermarket network to 100. (Getty Images)
Emke Group, which operates the biggest hypermarket chain in the Middle East under the LuLu and Al Falah brands, is to invest AED4.3 billion ($1.17bn) to expand its network of supermarkets and hypermarkets.
The company is to build 25 new stores to take its total to 100 within the next three years, it was reported on Wednesday.
The firm, which opened its 75th hypermarket this month in Al Ain, serves 350,000 shoppers per day, UAE daily Gulf News reported.
Emke Group managing director Yusuffali MA told the paper his company was entering the lucrative Indian market by developing the biggest shopping mall in Kochi, Kerala, with more than two million square feet of retail area.
According to some industry reports, Emke Group controls about 32.5 percent of the UAE's retail market, followed by French hypermarket chain Carrefour that has a 24 percent share.
The company's total turnover exceeded AED7.6 billion last year, 40 percent of which came from the UAE.
"Despite the global economic crisis, we have witnessed a growth in sales across our network of hypermarkets in the region. This year, we expect our turnover to exceed $2.5 billion up from last year's $2.1 billion ," he told the paper.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
Yusuff Ali - Expansion
Posted by CJ, Dubai, UAE on Monday 31 August 2009 at 10:19 UAE time
Full points to Yusuff Ali, a lot of local businesses need to start looking at India, last figures on Indian consumer spending in India was posted at USD400billion. The proximity to this huge market does not require rocket science to strategize and expand into.
Keep up the good work brand LuLu - you will become the Regional Czar what Carrefour and the others Supermarket chains are in the West .
Posted by CJ, Dubai, UAE on Monday 31 August 2009 at 10:19 UAE time
Full points to Yusuff Ali, a lot of local businesses need to start looking at India, last figures on Indian consumer spending in India was posted at USD400billion. The proximity to this huge market does not require rocket science to strategize and expand into.
Keep up the good work brand LuLu - you will become the Regional Czar what Carrefour and the others Supermarket chains are in the West .
Lulu- the indian tiger
Posted by dinker, Abu dhabi, UAE on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at 20:51 UAE time
Lulu is clearly leading the show due to the availabiltiy of the varieties of indian stuff in their outlets. India being the huge country and with vast diversifications has got different taste across the country. By catering to the indian community and all other nationalites in one umbrella takes them forward leaving a huge gap between the first and the second.
Wish you all the best Lulu and Mr. Yusuf Ali M A
Dinker
Posted by dinker, Abu dhabi, UAE on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at 20:51 UAE time
Lulu is clearly leading the show due to the availabiltiy of the varieties of indian stuff in their outlets. India being the huge country and with vast diversifications has got different taste across the country. By catering to the indian community and all other nationalites in one umbrella takes them forward leaving a huge gap between the first and the second.
Wish you all the best Lulu and Mr. Yusuf Ali M A
Dinker
Lulu
Posted by JHV, Dxb, uae on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at 19:15 UAE time
I fail to understand that why has carrefour/Futtaim fail to understand Indian specific requirements. Carrefour joints are with better ambience and affluence than the Lulus and are good places for spending time in ambling, window shopping, eating out and buy some of their 'No 1' brand products and ofcourse the mobile counter. But when it comes to serious monthly household shopping nothing beats Lulu. Everything that we as typical Indian house hold family want it is available at Lulu. Eg; at carrefour you want get sumeet, preethi or Usha brands of mixer/blender but all other international brands. The fact is that indian cooking requires special heavy duty, special blades and steel bodied jar and the job that above brand can do for indian cooking can not be done (even half) by moulinex, philips or other international brands. ( eg: coconut chutney. So why is carrefour giving blind eye to such important part of indian requirement and does not keep such stuff with them. UAE shoppers means 35% Indians - so why not pay heed to their requirements?
Posted by JHV, Dxb, uae on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at 19:15 UAE time
I fail to understand that why has carrefour/Futtaim fail to understand Indian specific requirements. Carrefour joints are with better ambience and affluence than the Lulus and are good places for spending time in ambling, window shopping, eating out and buy some of their 'No 1' brand products and ofcourse the mobile counter. But when it comes to serious monthly household shopping nothing beats Lulu. Everything that we as typical Indian house hold family want it is available at Lulu. Eg; at carrefour you want get sumeet, preethi or Usha brands of mixer/blender but all other international brands. The fact is that indian cooking requires special heavy duty, special blades and steel bodied jar and the job that above brand can do for indian cooking can not be done (even half) by moulinex, philips or other international brands. ( eg: coconut chutney. So why is carrefour giving blind eye to such important part of indian requirement and does not keep such stuff with them. UAE shoppers means 35% Indians - so why not pay heed to their requirements?
Good Job
Posted by Raj, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at 15:12 UAE time
Great work. Ur kicking Carefour where it hurts.
Posted by Raj, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at 15:12 UAE time
Great work. Ur kicking Carefour where it hurts.
Click here to post a comment
MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM
TOP IN MIDDLE EAST RETAIL
TOP MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS STORIES
ALSO IN MIDDLE EAST RETAIL
LATEST MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS NEWS
- Sport: Lee Westwood wins Race to Dubai
- Construction & Industry: Qatar signs $22.79bn rail deal with Deutsche Bahn
- Media & Marketing: Dubai developers see negative press reports decline
- Transportation: Kuwait to allocate Iran port to boost trade
- Retail: Sunseeker ME announces regional expansion plans
SHARE PRICE CHECK
RELATED STORIES
Gulf Rebound
3 stories- Sunseeker ME announces regional expansion plans
22 Nov '09 | News - Dubai population grows 1.9% in Q2
22 Nov '09 | News - UAE air travellers planning more long haul trips - survey
19 Nov '09 | News
Emke Group (Lulu)
| 33 stories- Big demand for curry leaves after imports restricted
16 Aug '09 | News - Grocery players ask: What credit crunch?
15 Dec '08 | News
Mobile
