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Swiss
Arabian Perfumes Group, one of the leading manufacturer and
retailer of Arabic and French perfumes, announced plans to double its
retail presence in an ambitious GCC-wide growth plan.
With the growing Arabic Oud and perfume sector estimated to be worth
over US$ 3 billion a year, the UAE firm, which currently has 80 stores
throughout the GCC and has experienced a huge increase in GCC sales
every year for the past three years, aims to double its retail outlets.
Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group chairman, Hussein Adamali, says: "We are
firmly within the third phase of our retail development, having moved
from the traditional souk presence to store-in-store format and now to
high quality exclusive showrooms.
"By the end of 2009, we are looking to move towards doubling the number
of exclusive showrooms and are already negotiating with all the major
malls in the Gulf in order to acquire prime retail space.
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“Although there are a number of malls planned to
open throughout the Gulf in 2008, competition is fierce. We understand
only the best store brands will win the race for prime retail space and
are confident our renewed thrust with a refreshed retail store design
and well defined branding campaign will help give us the edge.
Oud and perfume retailing is a profitable and
dynamic segment and ideally we would like to double our retail space
within the next two years in order to consolidate our position. |
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Courtesy: ©Hyatt |
“We have been expanding aggressively throughout the GCC for almost two
years now and have been securing all available prime retail space
afforded to us, with the target of reaching over 160 stores within 2009.
The demand for perfume has been growing due to increases in population;
disposable income of Arab nationals and expatriates; and a wider
demographic buying an increasing variety of Arabian perfumes. The growth
of the market more than justifies this expansion plan in what was a
historically unorganised sector, which is becoming increasingly
organised."
The market also has opened up significantly to foreign buyers with the
introduction of Arabic perfumes in spray format and an increased
presence of stores in tourist-thronged malls. Swiss Arabian alone has
experienced an estimated 100 per cent increase in tourist sales over the
past year.
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Swiss Arabian Director, Nader Adamali, who is
responsible for the ambitious retail expansion plan, added: "Many
tourists want to try Arabic perfumes as an alternative to what is
available in their home countries. It is another experience of the
Arabic culture. We have also found many westerners are attracted to the
lighter fragrances that are now on offer from Arabic perfumeries.
"As a result we are receiving increasing numbers of
requests from foreign retailers who are looking to buy the products from
us to sell in their countries. Hugely successful fragrances such as
Rakaan, with a mix of European and Arabic notes are proving extremely
popular in all demographics, with us now shipping to various independent
European outlets." |
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Recent reports claim the availability of shopping mall retail space in
the UAE will increase dramatically, with Dubai's space expected to more
than double to over four million square metres by 2010. The UAE ranks
second globally after Hong Kong in recreational shopping, according to a
survey by Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, which is currently the largest
shopping centre in the GCC. In addition, Abu Dhabi's retails space will
almost treble from 526,700 square metres in 2006 to 1.4 million square
metres by 2010.
The Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group has been the
leading manufacturer and marketer of a range of high quality Arabic
fragrances, as well as French perfumes for over 30 years and was the
first to enter the UAE market.
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