As the region’s retail sector continues to benefit from the boom in e-commerce, UAE-based grocery chain Grandiose has reaffirmed its faith in brick-and-mortar stores, with two outlets opening in Dubai this month and a further three set to welcome shoppers across the country by the end of the year.
A relative new-kid-on-the-block, Grandiose Supermarket was launched in 2017 and, by the end of this month will operate 16 outlets throughout Dubai and neighboring Abu Dhabi – including the very latest additions, a 32,137 sqft hypermarket at the Al Sayyah Residence in Arjan, South Barsha Dubai; and the new 12,572 sqft Grandiose supermarket in Majan, Al Barari.
Three further hypermarkets are currently in advanced construction stages, within Dubai Investment Park and Victory Heights in Dubai; and at the new billion-dollar Al Qana development in Abu Dhabi.
Olivier Latour, CEO of Grandiose Supermarket, told Arabian Business: “We still believe in providing an in-store, superior customer experience, interacting with our experts in the store, butchers, bakers, fishmongers, to provide the customer with the best service and the best product. It’s still something that the customer is looking for.”
And he forecast more openings in the year ahead, with a target to have 30 operational before the end of 2022.
He said: “We are still checking any opportunity within the UAE, outside as well, and whenever it will be the right time to expand internationally we will go.
“There is a big expansion plan and project already in the pipeline for next year. As of now, it might be 30 stores minimum operating next year. This target is not a limit, it depends on crossing the right opportunities.”
The e-commerce market will grow to $148.5 billion in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) by 2022, according to Amna Lootah, assistant director general, DAFZA, and a board member at Dubai CommerCity.
The MEASA region’s e-commerce market is experiencing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) at 18.4 percent, higher than the global 16.6 percent growth over the 2019-22 period.
Latour revealed that e-commerce currently makes up 30 percent of the company’s business, with plans to grow this further, based on a promise to ensure delivery to customers in less than 60 minutes.
He said: “Customers are still appreciating this store experience. At the same time they are still leveraging their e-commerce, on-delivery to fulfil their needs.
“The market has changed a lot since two years. We are still learning, all of us, on how to answer in the best way to serve the communities, to the families, and so on. We are still evolving and it’s why we are really trying to listen as much as we can to what our customers need.”
View the full article on: Arabian Business