Arab News, Saturday, Feb 18, 2023 | Rajab 27, 1444
Luxury goods retailer Chalhoub Group signs partnership with Saudi telecommunications firm stc
Saudi Arabia:
Luxury goods retailer and
distributor Chaloub Group is expanding into Saudi Arabia through sales and
distribution across the telecommunications sector after striking a deal with
channels by stc.
In Riyadh during the second edition of LEAP Tech
Conference, the group signed a Letter of Intent with the Saudi firm, one of the
largest ICT distribution companies in the Middle East.
The move affirms Chalhoub Group’s desire to expand
and strengthen its market position in the Kingdom.
“The transformation taking place in Saudi Arabia
is extraordinary and we are incredibly fortunate to be part of this growth
story,” Mohammad Aldabbagh, deputy country manager at Chalhoub Group told Arab
News.
“We are committed to nurturing and supporting
Saudi talents by highlighting the limitless career opportunities the retail
sector has to offer.
“Our vision is to shape the Saudi luxury fashion,
beauty and gifting markets by bringing cutting edge brands and being dedicated
to making every customer experience unforgettable.”
The deal will enhance the group’s supply chain,
logistics and e-commerce capabilities to address the needs of customers
requiring faster and more seamless deliveries.
“Customer centricity is key to our operations in
the Kingdom and in the region, and we have a great focus to be as fast as the
transformation in Saudi Arabia. Our infrastructure, logistics and last mile
operations are a core part of our value chain, and this is what we hope to
deliver with this partnership with channels,” Alexandros Komianos, chief
fulfillment and logistics officer at Chalhoub Group said in a statement.
Now headquartered in Dubai, Chalhoub Group – the
largest retail operator in the Middle East – was founded back in Damascus, Syria
in 1955 by Michel and Widad Chalhoub.
Its new business partner, channels by stc,
provides services to over 120 cities and has delivered more than 8 million
orders to date. It will utilize its fleet agency of over 12,000 Saudi national
agents to enable Chalhoub Group to reach and deliver to customers throughout the
Kingdom within a four-hour window.
“At channels by stc, we believe that strategic
partnerships are vital to our success as we continue to serve our priority; our
customers,” Waleed Alkanhal, vice president of last mile delivery sector at
channels by stc told Arab News.
The deal also cements the Kingdom as a growing hub
for luxury, both regionally and internationally. Saudi Arabia currently accounts
for around 40 percent of the group’s retail and beauty goods and 20 percent of
its fashion revenue.
As the largest market in the GCC with the largest
population, the Kingdom’s luxury good’s market has the potential to grow and
eventually account for over 50 percent of Chalhoub Group’s activity, according
to a statement by the group.
According to Chalhoub’s “GCC Personal Luxury In
2021: A Story Of Early Recovery & Growth” report, the Kingdom has thus far
demonstrated remarkable growth in personal luxury, reaching $2.2 billion and
growing at over 19 percent in 2021.
Fashion leads the way at 50 percent, followed by
beauty, jewelry and watches.
The report also stated how the Saudi consumer was
still “relatively new to the concept of luxury” with 50 percent of respondents
only beginning to purchase such goods in 2021.
Shopping is now a key pastime for Saudis, marked
by high spending and frequent purchasing, coupled with high awareness of and
preference for top-tier luxury brands – a signal that it is a market ripe for
growth over the next few years.
“Saudi Arabia will likely be the driving force of
regional growth thanks to government-led initiatives such as education,
legislation changes and Ministry of Culture efforts, new retail developments,
luxury brands plan to invest into stores and services, and tourism ambition
underpinned by Vision 2030,” the report stated.
According to November 2022 report conducted by
Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission under the Ministry of Culture entitled “A
Sector of Opportunity”, the Kingdom’s fashion ecosystem is estimated to
contribute to 1.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, accounting
for $12.5 billion in gross value addition in 2022, driven by consumption
relating to retail and wholesale.
Moreover, the expanding fashion ecosystem is
expected to contribute to 1.8 percent of the Kingdom's total workforce – 52
percent of which are female and 66 percent are Saudi.
Chalhoub Group says currently 90 percent of their
employees in the Kingdom are Saudi nationals, up from 20 percent.
The growing number has also motivated the group to
expand its staff in the Kingdom to up to 6,000 over the next five years to cater
to the growing demand for high fashion in Saudi Arabia.