Danube Home, part of Dubai-based diversified business conglomerate Danube Group, has announced its foray in Hyderabad, India by October 2018. The brand plans to set up ten large format showrooms, a large logistics hub, transport network and associated facilities in the next 5 years.
More than 32.5 percent of India’s 1.35 billion people currently live in urban environment. With 7 percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP), India is expected to see a faster expansion of urban population that will trigger the growth in demand for home furnishing products and solutions. The decision comes at a time when India is entering into the next phase of its economic transformation into a more digitise and knowledge economy where demand of products and services will be driven by the new tech-savvy upwardly mobile urban population.
In 2017, Indian Government enacted the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, popularly known as RERA. The Government has also opened up the real estate and construction sectors for 100 percent foreign investment. Together, these will help expand urban dwellings in India that will create greater demand for home décor products.
Danube Group’s decision to bring the retail brand – Danube Home to India also comes at a time, when investment in 100 Smart Cities project is expected to transform the infrastructure and urban environment, completely to a new level and attract more knowledge professionals.
Jayesh Ranjan (IAS), Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (ITE&C) Department Government of Telangana, said, “I would like to welcome one of Dubai’s top home improvement brands, Danube Home to Hyderabad. Currently, Telangana is one of the top most states in ease of doing business in India. Its high-quality infrastructure, manpower and visionary leadership have helped attract top global retail brands to the state, creating a win-win situation for consumers as well as retailers. I am confident that the entry of Danube Homes in Hyderabad will further enrich the retail ecosystem in our state.”
“The recent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reforms, allowing 100 percent FDI in Single brand retail will not only benefit the Indian economy but also refine customers’ shopping experience. Additionally, it will push local retailing companies to upgrade their services and offerings to global standards,” added Ranjan.
“Danube HOME is a great mix of International collection of home improvement and furnishing products retailed at unbelievably great prices. Our motto is to make the customer life time value ever cherishing and ensure greater engagement with the brand, Danube Home’s expansion in India shall fix a widening gap in the quality branded home furnishing solutions industry – something that the middle class, dual income group, upwardly mobile professionals, young couples and high net worth families, shall always enjoy flaunting in their homes. It’s a complete journey of building a dream home for every family, and that is where Danube HOME comes with the right products with the right prices,” said Adel Sajan, Director, Danube Group.
He further added, “Our decision to enter the Indian market comes at the right time and we believe, we are in a better position to serve the urban India. Danube Home has created a niche in the home improvement market in the GCC region by catering to the demand of diverse nationalities. We are confident that the company is prepared to serve the urban Indian market where demand for such products and professional service is growing every day.”
Average store size of a Danube Home in India will range around 60,000 square feet of showroom space that will help India’s upwardly mobile young couples, small families and professionals to spend time in selecting products, enjoy shopping experience with fully air-conditioned environment, ample parking space, product loading and delivery space, as they plan to decorate their homes with space-saving and cost-effective furnishing solutions from Danube Home’s 25,000-strong product range made available under one roof.
Rizwan Sajan, Founder and Chairman Danube Group added, “Our planned foray in the Indian market comes at a time when Indian economic growth rate has started to accelerate defying the global economic growth trends. Our entry into the Indian market will also strengthen economic relations between India – our home and the UAE – our adopted home and we are inspired by the greater strategic cooperation between the two countries.”
Shubhojit Mahalanobis, General Manager Danube Home, said, “The brand’s entry into Indian market will take its products closer to the customers. Besides, our entry in the Indian market will not only create 1,500 direct employments, but also support local industries that will benefit from our supply chain as we will deepen sourcing products from every nook and corner of India. This will also help us to create a greater demand for Indian designed home décor and home furnishing products and export them to other markets – such as the GCC – where we have a strong presence.
We have a robust expansion plan in hand, and we are excited with the first store launch in Hyderabad. We have a lot of surprises for our customers and shall ensure our global commitment of exemplary service standards with fantastic prices is carried forward in the Indian sub-continent”.
Danube Home is the largest UAE home-grown furnishing and improvement brand, with more than 40,000 products retailed under one roof, and being retailed through a network of 20 mega stores boasting over a million sq.ft retail space. Already Danube HOME has 1,700 professionals working across the GCC.
