Thursday, October 11, 2018

Malabar Gold & Diamonds to triple number of outlets to 750 and raise Group turnover to US$7 billion in 5 years


Malabar Gold & Diamonds to expand its 2,700 plus-strong investor base by attracting investors from North and Central India to spearhead its India-wide and global expansion as it celebrates Silver Jubilee
  
·    One among the world’s largest jewellery retailer to triple its retail footprint to reach 750 outlets by FY23 as part of its global expansion plan

 Malabar Gold & Diamonds adds the United States of America as 10th country and cross 250 mark by end of the year
 The Group celebrates 25 years of continuous growth in 10 countries in 22 different business verticals
 Malabar Gold & Diamonds plans to extend operations to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada, Egypt and Turkey in the coming years

Malabar Gold & Diamonds, one of the world’s largest jewellery retailer, announces ambitious global growth plan on the eve of its Silver Jubilee (25 years) celebrations that will see the company triple its retail network from 250 showrooms this year to 750 outlets in the next five years with annual turnover exceeding US$6.16 billion (INR 45,000 crores) and the Group turnover to US$6.85 billion (INR 50,000 crores) by 2023.

The Group currently operates retail outlets spread across ten countries in the India, Middle East,
Southeast Asia and America. Its massive expansion plan will see the company expand its footprint
across all Tier 1 and Tier II cities in North and Central India – in order to cater to the growing
jewellery market. The company’s plan of major expansion in international market includes new
territories such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada, Egypt and Turkey. As much as 40
percent of the group turnover will be generated from the company’s operations outside India.


Considering the characteristics of the new market planned to enter, Malabar Group introduced a
new concept – MGD Lifestyle Jewellery – a smaller format store offering daily wear small-ticket
jewellery and lifestyle articles. The company plans to invest US$ 960 million (INR 7,000 Cr) to manage the growth and expansion.

The expansion will see Malabar Group expand its investor base from 2,752 and include more
investors from North and Central Indian states, so that they could also be a part of the success of
Malabar Gold and Diamonds.

Malabar Gold & Diamonds is the jewellery retail arm of the diversified business conglomerate
Malabar Group that includes other business verticals such as real estate developments, shopping
malls, hypermarket, technologies, retailing of home appliances & electronics, watches, franchisee retailing and services.

The new expansion will see Malabar Group nearly double its headcount from 13,000 to 25,000
professionals on direct payroll within the next five years to manage the growth and expansion.

“Silver Jubilee is a major milestone in any company’s history and during this time Malabar Group
grew from a local entity to an Indian International brand with a large loyal customer base. “Today,
Malabar is a name to reckon with and known to almost every consumer. During the last 25 years,
Malabar Gold & Diamond has grown from strength to strength and rose from being a small outfit to an international player across a number of verticals including gold and diamond jewellery retail, jewellery manufacturing and multi-retail concepts,” Ahammed MP, Chairman of Malabar Group, told the media at a press conference in Mumbai.

“The culture of gifting lives along with human beings to express their love, affection and emotion
for their loved ones. Our aim is to be No 1 in this segment and we will strengthen the gifting aspect
of jewellery that is fast growing in India and other countries and use it as a growth-driver of our
jewellery business.” he added.

Abdul Salam KP, Group Executive Director of Malabar Group, said, “As a responsible business, we
are very mindful of our obligations to our societies. Our expansion will create more well-paid jobs
and we are very excited about our future growth plan. We ensure our entire operation in a very
transparent way. We understand the sensitivity of the industry and ensure compliance through
responsible sourcing, ethical business practices, transparent and professional fund management.
We associate with trade bodies, financial houses, government regulators to make sure that our
operations are infallible globally.

The group has a unique business model where its expansion is fuelled by investors who become
shareholders in different entities in a very transparent ownership model. Malabar Gold & Diamonds currently have over 2,752 investors under different entities who share the same vision, dedication and passion. Around 19.4 percent of these investors are full time employees with the Group, including the front-end managers and directors.

Added Asher O, Managing Director - India operations, said, “Our ambitious retail expansion plan in
North and Central Indian states like Punjab, Maharashtra, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, etc will be
supported by a new set of investors from these regions. We will also continue to strengthen our
retail foot print in the states where we currently have strong presence. Our unique business model
of sharing and caring has worked for us very well and it makes us a transparent and accountable
organisation with a solid foundation where all investors have a financial and moral stake in the
company. We want our North and Central Indian brothers also to join the movement and share our
success.”

The company’s expansion will help generate about 12,000 new jobs and help the youths to earn a
better living. We are also planning to set up three more manufacturing units and in order to manage the expansion and to fix the skill shortage in jewellery manufacturing, we are in the process of setting up a skill development centre to groom the youth and absorb them in various job profiles, in line with the Skills India campaign,” Asher added

Shamlal Ahamed, Managing Director of Malabar Gold & Diamonds’ International Operations, said, “As an Indian-born international jewellery brand, we take pride in our roots in India and help
connect the global consumers to the Indian heritage and art. Our strong retail presence across 10
countries coupled with the jewellery manufacturing capabilities that mostly produces Indian
culture-inspired designs that are exported to the rest of the world through our international retail
network. Our further expansion in the international arena will lead to Indian artisanal jewellery
being showcased at prominent global destinations.”

The group has earmarked 5% of its annual profit for CSR activities in five key areas such as housing,
health, environment, women empowerment and education. The group is also in the process of formally opening its new global headquarters at Montana Estate in Kozhikode, Kerala. Montana Estate has been set up at a sprawling 150-acre green tract as an eco-friendly township with signature bungalows, villas and apartments, international school, convention centre, organic farming, mini theatres, business clubs, etc.

“Diversification is going to be the key to the Group’s growth and are entering into more retail
business segments and further strengthening presence in real estate, beyond Kerala,” MP
Ahammed, Chairman of Malabar Group, told the media.

Malabar Developers, another subsidiary in the group, has already completed more than 2.5 million
square feet of housing development. The group is planning to set up more townships, convention
centres and affordable housing. Group has opened “Mall of Travancore” at Trivandrum, the capital
city of Kerala. In the tourism space, the Group recently opened Marina Convention Centre, along
the riverside of Chaliyar, along with houseboats.

The foundation of what would grow to become the Malabar Group was laid in 1993 by an
entrepreneurial team led by a dream that lived to establish a jewellery trading company in Kerala,
India. Since then, keeping alive the golden spirit of the brand, the Group has remained constant, in
its successful forays into real estate developments, shopping malls, hypermarket, technologies,
retailing of home appliances & electronics, watches, franchisee retailing and services.
For Malabar Group, the ventures continue to soar on the wings of trust; of all its team-members,
patrons and shareholders. The group grew in leaps and bounds, nurtured by expertise, vision and
guidance, into a formidable business conglomerate in India.

The Group with over 2,752 investors, excels in quality products and services, has more than 13,000
professionals working for its continued success. Corporate Social Responsibility has been the
primary commitment of the Group since its inception and it still continues with a strong corporate
social responsibility scheme embedded in its system, committed to make a difference in human
lives by focusing on 5 key areas comprising of health, education, housing, environment and women
empowerment.

Each aspect of the group work towards building, enhancing and nurturing beauty, quality and
perfection in every life that we touch.

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