Loblaw Companies Limited has signed three separate partnership agreements that will see Joe Fresh expanding into 23 new countries.
This is the first expansion of Joe Fresh outside North America. The agreements will see growth in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and South Korea.
“These first international agreements signify an important milestone for Joe Fresh as we build on the strong foundation we’ve established at home in Canada,” says creative director Joe Mimran. “We continue to evolve the brand forward and I’m thrilled to see Joe Fresh grow into a global brand, developing on the success we have had in the United States since launching there in 2011.”
Joe Fresh was founded in 2006 as a partnership between Loblaw and Mimran. It is available in more than 240 retail locations across Canada, as well as in 650 J.C. Penney stores across the United States. The brand also has six locations in New York City. The expansion will see the brand offer collections of apparel and cosmetics to an international audience.
“In order to best tap these vibrant new markets, we have partnered with companies possessing deep local knowledge and wide expertise of the retail dynamics and consumer preferences in their respective geographies,” says Mario Grauso, chief operating office of Joe Fresh Apparel Canada.
Fawaz A. Aljokair & Co., based in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, will partner with Joe Fresh to expand the brand into 17 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Under this agreement, there are plans to open at least 96 stores by 2018 in these markets. The expansion includes plans for 40 stores in Saudi Arabia, with the first stores opening this summer.
Retail Arabia International, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the partner for the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. There are plans for at least 15 stores by 2018, with the first of nine stores in the UAE scheduled to open later this year.
The final partnership is with Origin & Co., Ltd., based in Seoul, South Korea. There are plans to open up to 30 Joe Fresh locations across South Korea in high traffic shopping districts, malls and department stores over the next five years. One of the first stores will open in Seoul’s Lotte World Mall in the spring.
