Rifai opens
store in Paris

Expansion strategy

post-Merit acquisition

Rifai Nuts has recently opened a store in Paris and plans to launch additional stores in France and elsewhere before the end of 2023, said Carel Bardawil, Marketing Manager at Rifai.

The move is part of Rifai’s global expansion strategy that was adopted after its acquisition by Merit last year, according to Bardawil. Merit is the holding company of the Saadé family which owns the CMA CGM Group. GCC countries are excluded from the foreign expansion because the Rifai brand there is owned by other investors.

Rifai, whose products are already available in department stores in France like Galeries Lafayette, officially launched the Paris store last August in Avenue Victor-Hugo in the 16th arrondissement.

“There is a large Lebanese diaspora in the area where the store is located. We have also launched a digital campaign on our website and on social media to promote our products not only to Lebanese but also to French and European consumers,” Bardawil said.

She said that they are focusing more on healthy mixes of nuts and dried fruits which are becoming trendier in Europe. Rifai is also introducing new flavors such as Zaatar (Thyme) and has started to expand and develop further its coffee product range.

The company is engaged in online marketing on global markets with the USA, UK, and Canada accounting for nearly 70 percent of its total online sales.