UAE Business: UAE group enters food retail biz with big Géant acquisition – Gulf Digital News

UAE Business: UAE group enters food retail biz with big Géant acquisition – Gulf Digital News

GMG, a global well-being company retailing, distributing and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, food and health sectors, has announced its foray into the food retail business with the acquisition of the UAE operations of the French retailing major Géant and exclusive rights to expand Géant operations in the Middle East.

A company owned by the Baker family, GMG is today a leading group affiliated with the world’s most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Working across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands into its markets.

Géant is a part of Groupe Casino, a French retailing giant with a turnover in excess of EUR35 billion.

Under a strategic pact with Urban Foods by Dubai Holding, GMG has acquired Géant’s current UAE retail footprint comprising a total of 18 hypermarket and supermarket locations across the country, aid the company in a statement.

It also includes the new openings featuring some of Groupe Casino’s other brands such as Franprix and Monoprix, to which GMG will also have exclusive rights to expand, it added.

Deputy Chairman and CEO Mohammad A. Baker said: "This acquisition is a milestone in our history as we venture