Retailers upbeat for holy month

With people spending the past week getting ready for the start of Ramadan this weekend, companies across the UAE, and indeed the whole Muslim world, have been experiencing buoyant times. For many, this is their busiest time of the year as not only families but also the corporate sector prepare to entertain clients and associates in one of the many Ramadan tents erected around town over the past week.

Supermarkets have seen products flying off the shelves as families spend more time cooking rather than eating out during the holy month, while events companies are seeing the past few months of planning coming together this weekend ahead of the four-week festive season.

For companies such as Jump Media, which specialises in events management, planning for Ramadan started months ago as companies take this opportunity to thank their clients.

"A lot of corporate businesses use this time period to give something back to their clients and participate in the spirit of this time," explains Gail Potter, General Manager of Jump Media.

"I don't think it is 'expected' of them, it is more that it is a very special time of the year and people and businesses enter into the spirit of the season. It is a time of reflection and a time for giving to others so they like to enter into this."

Jump Media is not alone in experiencing a busy time of late. Wicked Tents has operated at full capacity for the past three years, producing custom tents for a variety of customers, including some of Dubai's largest hotels.

Managing Director Alistair McDonald says: "Ramadan is busier than Christmas for two reasons; firstly there is the obvious cultural significance of a Ramadan tent; but secondly, due to the holy month moving forward each year we are now in a summer Ramadan period, which means that large air-conditioned spaces are required."

Some companies are spending less on corporate entertaining as a result of the global downturn, but they feel it is still important to gather colleagues to break fast together, says Potter.

"It is a time of the year, especially throughout the Middle East, that everyone is observing as a country – whether it is Muslims who are fasting or non-Muslims who are showing respect to Ramadan. It has become a tradition for many people to be a part of the breaking of fast together – whether it is with families and friends or colleagues and clients in the corporate world," she adds.

It is not just corporate caterers that benefit from this time of the year, but supermarkets too. Lulu Hypermarket hosted a date festival recently, while Carrefour has promoted the event through in-store tents featuring a range of traditional foods, such as dates and nuts, which all prove popular during the holy month.

In line with families' penchant for family meals, the major retailers have also introduced a range of special offers, which have enticed shoppers. Lulu's Dh180 "Ramadan kit" has proved particularly popular as it contains almost two dozens of the most popular everyday items. Elsewhere, Carrefour has slashed the price of Baklava, honey and rice among other items.

Spinneys is no different and admits it is one of their busiest times. Although the retailer will not divulge figures, a spokesperson did say that its best selling products change year-on-year and will introduce this year's offers as soon as Ramadan is called.

"As a dedicated food retailer, Ramadan is a key time of the year for us. We have a wide range of offers in store and have produced a special Spinneys Choice," the spokesperson says.

Not surprisingly, the gift industry also experiences sales boosts at this time of the year. Food is one of the traditional options, with people choosing to give chocolates and dates when having iftar.

Hotels also choose such products as parting gifts when inviting people to break fast.

Saudi Arabia-based Bateel is one of the UAE's most popular date manufacturers, with nine outlets across the country. The company reports that now is its most hectic time of year as customers rush to stock up on the food, which is one of the best to eat at iftar.

Sales Manager Bashar Halloum says: "It's been very, very busy for us recently as it's our high season. Business has doubled over the past couple of weeks compared with other times of the year."

Halloum says business began to pick up a couple of weeks ago and does not expect it to die down until after Eid. "There tends to be a two-month window, with Ramadan in the middle when we are at our busiest. Trade picks up over Christmas and Easter too, as we produce special products for those times," he explains.

Bateel also supplies to some of the top hotel chains, including Jumeirah as well as some car showrooms. The perennial favourite, chocolate, also sees renewed vigour in the run-up to festivities and while it is more commonly associated with Easter, Muslims are also partial to the sweet stuff. Patchi and ChoCo'a have proved particularly popular in recent years as they custom make products for all types of corporate clients and find their orders increased for the holy month.

Diala Al Nazer, Manager of ChoCo'a Al Barsha shop, says: "Business has increased a lot this month so we are much busier than normal. Christmas is hectic too but because we do dates as well it is quieter than Ramadan."

Although treating staff and clients at this time of year is not compulsory by any means, McDonald says many chose to do it by way of hosting iftar tents because the less formal nature appeals to the after-hours time.

"Ramadan is a great chance to socialise with your clients, customers and staff and celebrate a significant cultural and religious event. It's actually a far more laid back way to entertain than a standard meal in a restaurant. In our experience urgency is left at the door in a Ramadan tent, except when breaking fast of course. Mostly people are happy to relax, eat great food, play some games, watch TV and smoke some shisha," he adds.

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