Abu Dhabi Development Still on a Roll

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Aldar Properties, one of Abu Dhabi's largest real estate developers, has just signed a long-term agreement to develop the first Géant hypermarket in Abu Dhabi at Yas Island, the major leisure and entertainment destination.

Géant Hypermarket at the Yas Mall will be spread over an area of over 16,000 square meters and  will stock and sell over 65,000 products.  From groceries, frozen foods, bakery products, butchery, textiles, fashion wear, shoes, jewelry, electronics, sporting goods, household items, household accessories, cosmetics, and perfumes in a French style café, Le Bistro.

In addition Géant will have a fabulous French bakery with over a hundred varieties of breads and cakes freshly baked every day, a seafood market that will offer an amazing array of over 150 varieties of the freshest seafood. Choicest meat cuts will be available at the butchery while the rotisserie and delicatessen will offer a fabulous selection of ready to eat hot meals,

Contemporary design and layout,  spacious wide aisles, easy to follow signage, warm customer service coupled with a no frills philosophy of offering customers quality products at the lowest prices plus the convenience of one stop shopping for all their needs will deliver the promise of an extraordinary shopping experience.

Géant will be the anchor hypermarket in Yas Mall, a 250,000 square meter mall featuring a wide range of retail categories from individual boutiques to large format value retailers. Yas Mall, including the Géant store, is set to open to the public in late 2012, with the largest IKEA in the MENA region opening at Yas Island in early 2011.

Mohammed Al Mubarak, Chief Commercial Officer of Aldar, said: "We are delighted to bring Géant to Abu Dhabi as the hypermarket at Yas Mall. Having a world-class operator like Géant as the anchor hypermarket for our signature retail development on Yas Island shows how we are committed to offering residents of Abu Dhabi the best possible choice in retail."

Commenting on the agreement Patrick Lasfargues, Affiliation Business Unit Director, Groupe Casino, said: "We are delighted with the expansion of the Géant brand into Abu Dhabi, this will strengthen the brand in the UAE and give us economies of scale to give our customers maximum value.  Our new hypermarket will in the Yas Mall will be modeled to match the best on offer in France."

Mazher Papar, Director of Retail Arabia said: "Our decision to open a store in the Yas Mall was based on the tremendous potential we see for retailing here, combined with Abu Dhabi's clear focus on international retailing standards.  The decision to partner with Yas Mall is also due to our belief that the future of Abu Dhabi and the city's growth is going to happen immediately around this location. The mall is also designed and structured uniquely to attract shoppers, and its management vision of international standards with local know how positions it strongly in our view".

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