Yoku Moku, a world-famous Japanese confectionary brand established in 1969, has announced the opening of its signature store at Dubai Mall – a major step in its plans to spread its retail footprint across the UAE.

With the new signature store, the number of Yoku Moku outlets in the UAE has grown to nine within 14 months, said a senior official at the launch in the presence of Consul General Daisuke Matsunaga,Worldwide chairman of Yoku Moku Toshiyasu Fujinawa and other officials.
 
The new store is part of the company’s aggressive expansion plans, which aims to double its number of outlets in the UAE. Yoku Moku opened its first store in the UAE in October 2012.

Currently, the Japanese brand operates four outlets in Abu Dhabi, and five in Dubai, with plans to open one more soon in Al Ain, said
Alsa Life Style & Apparel, the exclusive distributor of Yoku Moku in the region.

Alsa Life Style is the retail arm of Al Sayegh Group Trading Abu Dhabi (est. in 1980) – one of the leading retail groups.

"A hit with the affluent population in the UAE, the distinctive Yoku Moku cookies – produced and imported from Japan, are already a rage with both the residents and the tourists alike, which has helped the company’s sales to surge over the last year," remarked Fujinawa.

"We are thrilled with the demand for Yoku Moku products in the UAE and the region, and we aim to further build on our popularity by opening more new stores during 2014, he said.

Since its inception in 1969, Yoku Moku has charmed the world with its signature, crunchy delicate cookies, assortments and seasonal products, stated Fujinawa.

Abduljabbar Al Sayegh, the chairman of Alsa Lifestyle and Al Sayegh Group, said: “We are happy to be playing our part in this exciting growth journey for Yoku Moku in the UAE and across the region."

"As the brand evolves in the UAE, we at Alsa are committed and focused on our growth plans, add to the customer experience and broaden the accessibility for Yoku Moku, not only in the country, but beyond," he added.

Daisuke Matsunaga said the launch is a major milestone and a perfect example of the retail partnership between a Japanese company and Alsa Lifestyle.

"This partnership epitomizes the perfect synergy between two top brands across the UAE and Japan. The two countries enjoy a very close trade relationship, and we are happy to witness increased cooperation between leading names from both countries – not only in retail but also in other sectors. UAE remains one of the top Middle East market for Japan and this partnership will further contribute to its healthy growth,” he added.

Ehab Al Bakri, the COO of Alsa Lifestyle, said the company had earlier announced plans to increase the total number of its stores in the UAE to about 26 by the end of 2014 besides plans to open shops in Qatar and other GCC countries.-TradeArabia News Service