Aggressive Retail Expansion Plans Underway
Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group, the leading manufacturer and retailer of Arabic and French perfumes, today 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.
"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.
"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.
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."
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.
-Ends-
Notes to Editors:
Swiss Arabian Perfumes currently has nine exclusive showrooms in Dubai, (Wafi City and Arabian Plaza Mirdiff opening towards beginning of 2008 will make it eleven), three in Abu Dhabi, one in Al Ain, three in Sharjah, one in Ras Al Khaimah, four in Kuwait, six in Oman, eleven in Saudi Arabia, with 25 more to be added across the GCC next year.
The Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group was founded in 1974, by Hussein Adam Ali. Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group is one of the pioneering perfumes manufacturers in the Middle East in association with Givaudan S.A, a leading Swiss manufacturing Company. Trusted for its quality, innovation, and technical expertise, many of the Swiss Arabian Perfume Group brands have been best sellers in their category. The Group has completed over 30 successful years and has a large investment plan in retail and new product development to consolidate its presence throughout the region.
For more media information, please contact
Ian Hainey at Amber PR on ian@ambercomm.ae
+971 50 466 1368;
Pascale Haddad
+971 50 778 1714
© Press Release 2008
