Alrifai

ALRIFAI
Privately Held
Industry Retail
Founded 1948 (Beirut)
Founder Mohammed Rifai,
Headquarters Beirut,Lebanon
Number of locations
 over 350 (9 May 2014)
Area served
 Lebanon, Kuwait, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Panama, Cyprus, Jordan, Oman, Armenia, Poland
Key people
 Mohamed Rifai
(CEO)
Moussa Rifai, Jr.
(Group General Manager)
Products Nuts, kernels, coffee, confectionery, chocolates, gifting
Number of employees
 1,200
Website www.alrifai.com

Alrifai Rifai or rifai nuts is a Lebanese multinational nut retailing company headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Alrifai International Holding Ltd. It is the largest nut retailing chain in the Middle East and the company with the biggest market share in Lebanon.[1]

Alrifai was founded in Beirut in 1948 by Moussa Rifai, Sr. as a home-based operation supplying roasted nuts and coffee to the local neighbourhood. It has since grown to over 350 stores across 15 countries. The business has as well wholesales business under other brands.

History

Moussa Rifai, Sr. founded a home based nut booth in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1948, supplying local households.[2] Alrifai branched out to retailing nuts and coffee in 1960's when its first store opened in Beirut, Lebanon.

In 1970, Mohamed Rifai the son of Moussa Rifai, Sr. joined the business and started the expansion. In 2009, Alrifai celebrated the opening of its 300 th store - in Saudi Arabia. In December 2013, Alrifai sold its biggest wholesales operation in Sweden, for 100 million SEK, to fully concentrate on the retail business expansion.[3] By the end of 2014, the company had opened its 60th store in Lebanon, reaching a 46.5% market share.[4]

Operations

Locations

Alrifai flagship store in Mkalles under the new redesign

Alrifai operates 62 outlets in Lebanon as of August 2014. Internationally, it operates more than 250 stores throughout the world in 15 countries.

As well as their usual high street location, Alrifai outlets can be found in airports and within several supermarket chains such as Spinneys, Carrefour, Monoprix and others. Alrifai as well has independent stores in malls across the middle east. Alrifai was discussed in the academia under different cases that were taught at the AUB in Beirut.[5]

Nuts production

Alrifai has its own nuts and coffee factories. The variety of nuts mixes served in retail stores is their own invention and trademark. It plans to expand capacity in 2014.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Top 100 National Brands" (PDF) (193). Lebanon Opportunities. InfoPro. July 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  2. ↑ ALRIFAI, Roastery. "History of Company". www.alrifai.com. ALRIFAI. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Cloetta completes acquisition of Alrifai Nutisal AB". Reuters. Reuters. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Brooke, Anderson (May 28, 2012). "Going nuts for Lebanese roasting traditions". Daily Star. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Hagop, Panossian. "Al Rifai: Lebanese Nuts Go West" (PDF). AUB. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-27. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Dana, Halawi (1 October 2014). "Nuts to security concerns: Al Rifai expands despite risks". Daily Star. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
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