Dubai: An import-export company catering primarily to the 2.5 million South Asian expatriates and specialising in foodgrains, pulses, spices, range of foodstuff, branded items and assorted non-food items, has announced that it will expand its retail outlets across the UAE, buoyed by solid growth results in 2009.
Al Adil Trading Co. LLC, a division of Tujala Exports (India) Pvt. Ltd. which has a number of speciality supermarkets in the UAE, revealed that turnover in 2009 reached Dh148 million, up from Dh50 million in 2008, fuelling the company's aggressive expansion plan this year.
Increased targets
Dhananjay Datar, chairman and managing director of Al Adil Group and the man behind the company's highly ambitious and successful expansion plan, said the company has increased its revenue target for this year to Dh200 million.
"Our revenue increased 40 per cent in 2009 compared to 2008," Datar told Gulf News in a telephone interview.
"We are planning to expand our retail outlets this year in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. We will also open a new branch in Bahrain and Doha."
Al Adil currently has 14 outlets in the UAE comprising eight supermarkets, two flour mills and spice factories in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman.
Mid- to long-term plans include expansion in other GCC countries.
Al Adil also plans to increase the manufacturing capacity at its Al Quoz facility this year.
Datar explained that the food business in particular was not affected greatly by the downturn, which has contributed to the company's growth and positive outlook.
"Foods are the essential needs for people. Every day people buy food.
"Food products are not really affected due to the financial downturn. Since we deal with something as basic as food, our business was not affected much," Datar said.
Datar also said that from October 2009 until December this year, the company does not intend to raise prices.
"We have the option of tapping suppliers in different countries. We trade depending on the prices they offer. We have contracts with suppliers all over the world, which helps control our pricing.
"Hence, we could market our products competitively in a fluctuating market as well as pass on the price benefit to our customers," Datar said.
