Mamas & Papas expands in Middle East
NURSERY retailer Mamas & Papas has seen the opening of its fifth store in the Middle East.
The Huddersfield-based family-owned firm's latest franchised store opened in the Villagio Shopping Mall in Doha, Qatar.
The Venetian-style shopping centre – which even boasts its own canal with gondolas – is the largest retail space in Qatar.
The Mamas & Papas store is 7,200 square feet over two floors and is managed by franchise operator, Al Tayer Group which launched the nursery brand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait with further plans to roll out stores in seven more locations across the region in coming months including two in Dubai.
Allen Hill, associate international franchise director of Mamas & Papas said: “The momentum of the brand in the Middle East is phenomenal and is reflective of the global appeal of the Mamas & Papas concept and mirrors the rush by international franchise operators to open stores in their territories.
“Since the launch of Mamas & Papas in the region Al Tayer Group witnessed each store opening out perform the last in terms of footfall and basket size and meeting the high demand by the domestic customer for the latest trends of maternity fashion, interior décor and pushchairs.
Two more stores will be opened in Bahrain and Dubai in the next two months. The group already has two stores in Abu Dhab and others in Dubai and Kuwait City.
Mamas & Papas was launched by husband-and-wife team David and Luisa Scacchetti 27 years ago when they found hard to buy nursery goods for their daughters Olivia and Amanda as stylish as those in their native Italy.
The group, which is still owned by the couple, now boasts 32 stores in the UK with 1,100 staff and a turnover of £130m.
Dubai-based Al Tayer Group has franchise agreements to operate stores under a variety of luxury brands in the UAE including Harvey Nichols, Ferrari, Armani and Hermes.
