| Barka turning into hub for retail firms |
Oommen John P
MUSCAT The coastal town of Barka in Al Batinah region is fast turning out to be an investment hotspot for retail firms to set up small and large hypermarkets.
In the past 18 months, more than half a dozen small and large hypermarkets have set up shop in the coastal town, which is witnessing rapid infrastructure development with local and international companies involved in development projects.
With the government planning to set up a major integrated logistics centre at Barka to serve as a hub for rail and road-based freight and allied services, the town is set to become the city of the future, a representative of hypermarket told Oman Tribune.
A number of road and infrastructure projects are also under way as part of the government’s initiative to turn the Batinah coastal region into an industrial, economic and commercial hotspot.
Al Kawther Hypermarket, a one-stop shop providing consumers everything under one roof, is the latest retail group to set up a hypermarket in Barka after retail majors such as LuLu Group and others.
“Barka has been witnessing rapid development over the years. We see a lot of potential for growth in Barka,” said S Sreekumaran Nair, managing director of Al-Kawther Group.
“The Al Kawther Group commenced operations in the Sultanate a decade ago and has five outlets. Our focus has been interior regions since inception. Barka is an ideal investment destination.”
In June, the Mars International retail chain opened its biggest hypermarket in Barka. “The hypermarket is a new retail concept in Barka, which is witnessing rapid infrastructure development.
We want to provide a unique shopping experience for residents of Barka,” said VT Vinod, managing director of Mars International.
The hypermarket has an exclusive 500sqm food court and an exclusive indoor children’s play area, he said.
“We have set up the hypermarket in Barka to provide a new and international shopping experience to the people of Barka region,” Naveej Vinod, executive director of Mars International, said.
Oman Tribune
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