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Dubai urges advisories on takeaway food
Dubai Municipality is planning to encourage all restaurants in the emirate to issue advisories to consumers on safe handling of takeaway food, Khaleej Times has reported. The decision follows an initiative by a south Indian restaurant group that attaches red stickers to its takeaway bags reminding buyers to consume the takeaway food within two hours of purchase. All food outlets operating in the emirate will be provided with modified instructions for customers that will include the temperature at which food items have to be stored and the duration within which they have to be consumed, depending on the types of ingredients, a municipality official said.
Asmak posts Q2 loss
International Fish Farming Holding, a UAE-based food company known as Asmak, posted a second-quarter 2009 loss - compared with a Q2 08 profit - because of expenses related to new projects. The Q2 loss was Dhs2.55m, compared with a profit of dhs1.63m a year earlier, the Ajman based company said in a statement. New project-related expenses were Dhs2.2m. (Mac Capital Advisors)
LG launches THX LCD TV
LG Electronics has said it has won THX approval to incorporate the technology in its LCD LH90 TVs. The LH90 range includes THX's Movie Mode, as well as full-array LED backlighting, with 2,000,000:1 Mega Contrast ratio. Other features include TruMotion 240Hz for smooth picture motion and local dimming technology for enhanced contrast over standard backlit and edge-lit LCD TVs.
Villa Moda to launch Ramadan fashion range
Villa Moda boutique is set to launch a Ramadan fashion collection in Doha, Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain on August 12. The collection comprises a selection of regional and international jelabiyas and kaftans, some of which are designed by local, regional and international designers.
Al Islami expands fresh meat shops
Al Islami has started selling fresh meat in Dubai, Sharjah and Al Ain, initially opening 15 shops during the first half of the year. The company plans 12 more shops for the next two quarters making total of 27 shops at the end of this year. Al Islami has revealed an inacreased demand for halal and fresh meats, receiving a number of enquiries and signed agreements with the Sharjah Cooperavtive Soceity, Al Ain Cooperative Society and Union Cooperavite Society. Al Islami has hired over 50 professional butchers so far for its meat shops.
Al Futtaim unveils new electronic store brand in Saudi
UAE-based Al Futtaim Group has launched a new brand of electronics stores in Saudi Arabia through a joint venture with the kingdom's Fawaz Alhokair Group, The National has reported. The new brand, called Best e-City, has four outlets in Riyadh with a total retail space of 200,000 square feet. Al Futtaim also plans to open one store each in Jeddah and Al Khobar in the next 12 months.
Sanyo forecasts $400m revenues in Mideast in '09
Sanyo, the Japanese consumer group, believes its revenues in the region will hit $400m next year, in line with its earlier projections, Emirates Business has reported. 'This year, this company alone is already close to $300m so we are confident that we are on track to our $400m target for my territory, Middle East, Africa and India as well as CIS countries, in 2010,' Takashi Hirao, Sanyo Gulf Chairman and Sanyo Chief Regional Officer - Middle East, Africa and India said.
Kuwait to punish Ramadan price violators
Kuwait's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has warned local wholesalers and retailers against increasing the prices of their goods during the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan, the Kuwait Times has reported. While prices and availability of goods are being closely monitored, severe penalties will be imposed on any merchant found to be violating the regulations, the ministry said.
UAE retail sector to bounce back post-Ramadan, says report
The UAE's retail sector shall bounce back in the fourth quarter this year, and with consumer confidence expected to pick up beginning the last week of Ramadan season, sales are slated to continue to grow in 2010, Emirates Business has reported. According to the Dubai Chamber, the outlook for the retail sector remains positive despite a tightening in credit conditions, lack of job security, an increase in consumer savings rates and a fall in tourist visitors will result in a challenging retail market in the UAE this year. However, the increasing consumer confidence in the months ahead, which will lead to a pick-up in consumption levels and see the value of retail sales grow by 16.5% in 2010.
New Moschino boutique to open in Saudi
Italian Moschino, part of the Aeffe Group, has announced the opening of its 214 square meters boutique at the Stars Avenue Mall in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The new outlet will present Moschino and Moschino Cheap and Chic ready-to-wear and accessory collections starting from Spring-Summer 2009. Moschino is planning a further store opening later in 2009, within the Pearl Mall in Doha.
Saudi Savola to buy Geant
Saudi-based Savola Group has said it has agreed to pay SR440m ($117.3m) to buy all eleven Géant supermarkets owned by Fawaz Alhokair Group in the kingdom, absorbing its second retail competitor since 2008, Reuters has reported. The deal will enable Savola's retail arm Azizia Panda to raise from 7% to 8% its share of the Saudi retail market and would increase its turnover by 13%, Savola has said. According to the agreement, Alhokair, a retail group and commercial malls developer, will have the option to buy a 10% stake in Azizia Panda three years after the signing of the agreement.
Ajman to allow Ramadan food deliveries
The Ajman Municipality has permitted cafeterias and restaurants in the emirate to provide home delivery and take-away services, for the first time, during fasting hours in the holy month of Ramadan, Khaleej Times has reported. The municipality had begun issuing permits to restaurants and cafeterias for a Dhs500 fee to sell food during fasting hours. All restaurants and cafeterias would be allowed to open two hours before Iftar and receive costumers who would like to break the fast on their premises.
Geant opens in Kuwait's 360 mall
Tamdeen Group has announced the recent opening of Géant Hypermarket in Tamdeen SCD's 360º Mall in Kuwait. The hypermarket is spread over an area of over 17,000sqm with over 40 checkout counters, operating under Retail, Arabia, a division Fu-com, which operates the Géant hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenient stores in key GCC markets. Fu-com Kuwait is a joint venture between Retail Arabia and the Tamdeen Group.
Saudi gold sales down 30%
Saudi-based gold retailers have said that the volume of gold jewellery sales in the kingdom has fallen as much as 30 % in the first six months of the year, as the economic crisis and high gold prices deter buyers, Reuters has reported. 'Gold prices are just too high at the moment and people cannot afford these prices, even when we offer discounts on designs, that's why sales this year are down 30%,' said Salam Omar Bin Salman, deputy manager of Bin Salman Gold Jewellery, a medium sized gold retailer in the kingdom.
Dubai malls to charge parking fees
The Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre in Dubai have announced that they will introduce charges for people that leave their vehicles in the malls' car parks for more than three hours from September 10, the day after the Dubai Metro begins. The move is meant to discourage people who want to park their cars in the mall and then catch the Metro to another destination. On weekdays the first three hours will be free, while on weekends it will be the first four hours. On weekdays each extra hour will be charged at Dhs20, while on weekends the additional first and second hours will be charged at Dhs40 and Dhs60 respectively. An additional hour of free parking is available for those watching movies at the malls' cinemas.
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