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Arabian Business
01-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai Duty Free sales pass $195m in April; top spenders and products revealed as viral Dubai chocolate sells AED1m a day
Dubai Duty Free has announced that sales in April reached AED713m ($195.4m), marking a new record for the month of April. It represents an 18 per cent increase over April 2024 and positions April 2025 as the fourth best month on record for the airport retailer since operations began. Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said: 'November and December 2024 were record months, joined by January 2025, so it is great to see that April sales are in the top four monthly sales rankings now. Dubai Duty Free sales 'April was a busy month passenger-wise with Eid holidays, Easter and the Arabian Travel Market pushing up passenger numbers. However, as far as we know, sales outstripped passenger numbers, which is a very positive indicator for us'. In April, the top five product categories sold were perfumes, liquor, tobacco, gold and confectionery: Perfume sales reached AED128.72m ($35.26m) contributing 18 per cent of total revenue and showing an increase of 16 per cent over the same month last year Liquor followed closely with sales of AED92.5m ($25.34m) an increase of 13 per cent Tobacco saw a 25 per cent increase year-on-year with sales of AED73.95m ($20.26m) Gold sales amounted to AED71.57m ($19.61m), contributing 10 per cent of total revenue and an increase of 35 per cent Confectionery continued to demonstrate strong growth, achieving AED69.54m ($19.05m), marking an 84 per cent increase from the same month last year and accounting for 10 per cent of total revenue The Fashion boutiques in Terminal 3's Concourse A and B combined outperformed their sales from last April, recording a 12 per cent increase. This is notable, considering that these boutiques have been lagging in sales since the first quarter of 2024. The Preloved luxury segment, which is available in the airport retailer's Reklaim outlets, delivered impressive results of AED9m ($2.4m) since it was introduced in December 2024 of which AED3.52m ($970,000) was generated in April alone. Meanwhile, the viral Dubai chocolate continued its remarkable success story with sales hitting AED28.6m ($7.84m) in April, which is an average of AED1m ($274,000) sales per day. Other notable performers include ticket sales for the milestone Dubai Duty Free Millenniummaire Series 500, which was sold out within a record 7 days, underscoring strong demand for this popular promotion and adding to the total Millenniummaire sales for April of AED21m ($ 5.26m). Cidambi said: 'This robust performance can be seen across all categories both in-store and online, with online sales increasing by 3 per cent in April. We are also seeing an increase in the average passenger spend and that is also very encouraging'. Sales in Departures across the operation reached AED638.27m ($174.87m) representing 90 per cent of total monthly sales and an increase of 19 per cent compared to the same period last year. Arrivals sales reached AED51.22m ($14.04m), representing 7 per cent of total sales and an increase of 17 per cent over April last year. In terms of top source markets for Dubai Duty Free:
Zawya
01-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai Duty Free achieves record Dhs713mln sales in April – Fourth best month ever
Dubai Duty Free has announced that sales in April reached a remarkable Dhs713 million (US$195.4 million), marking a new record for the month of April. This represents an 18% increase over April 2024 and positions April as the fourth best month on record for the airport retailer since operations began. Commenting on the April figures, Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said, 'November and December 2024 were record months, joined by January 2025, so it is great to see that April sales are in the top four monthly sales rankings now. April was a busy month passenger-wise with Eid holidays, Easter and the Arabian Travel Market pushing up passenger numbers. However, as far as we know, sales outstripped passenger numbers, which is a very positive indicator for us'. In April, the top five product categories sold were Perfumes, Liquor, Tobacco, Gold and Confectionery. Perfume sales reached Dhs128.72 million (US$35.26 million) contributing 18% of total revenue and showing an increase of 16% over the same month last year. Liquor followed closely with sales of Dhs92.50 million (US$25.34 million) an increase of 13%, while Tobacco saw a 25% increase year-on-year with sales of Dhs73.95 million (US$20.26 million). Gold sales amounted to Dhs71.57 million (US$19.61 million), contributing 10% of total revenue and an increase of 35%. Confectionery continued to demonstrate strong growth, achieving Dhs69.54 million (US$19.05 million), marking an 84% increase from the same month last year and accounting for 10% of total revenue. The Fashion boutiques in Terminal 3's Concourse A and B combined outperformed their sales from last April, recording a 12% increase. This is notable, considering that these boutiques have been lagging in sales since the first quarter of 2024. The Preloved luxury segment, which is available in the airport retailer's Reklaim outlets, delivered impressive results of Dhs9 million since it was introduced in December 2024 of which Dhs3.52 million (US$ 0.97 million) was generated in April alone. Meanwhile, the viral Dubai chocolate continued its remarkable success story with sales hitting Dhs28.60 million (US$7.84 million) in April, which is an average of Dhs1 million (US$274,000) sales per day. Other notable performers include ticket sales for the milestone Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Series 500, which was sold out within a record 7 days, underscoring strong demand for this popular promotion and adding to the total Millennium Millionaire sales for April of Dhs21 million (US$ 5.26 million). 'This robust performance can be seen across all categories both in-store and online, with online sales increasing by 3% in April. We are also seeing an increase in the average passenger spend and that is also very encouraging,' said Cidambi. Sales in Departures across the operation reached Dhs638.27 million (US$174.87 million) representing 90% of total monthly sales and an increase of 19% compared to the same period last year, while Arrivals sales reached Dhs51.22 million (US$14.04 million), representing 7% of total sales and an increase of 17% over April last year. In terms of top source markets for Dubai Duty Free, India is number one with Dhs72.14 million (US$19.76 million) sales, followed by Russia with Dhs54.62 million (US$14.97 million), Saudi Arabia with Dhs51.23 million (US$14.03 million), China with Dhs39.25 million (US$10.75 million), and the UK in fifth place with sales of Dhs36.19 million (US$9.92 million).
Hi Dubai
10-04-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
Dubai Duty Free Hits Record AED2.06 Billion in Q1 2025 Sales
Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has reported a stellar start to 2025, posting record-breaking first-quarter sales of AED2.06 billion (US$565 million). This milestone was largely powered by an exceptional February, which delivered the highest monthly sales in the company's history—an impressive AED709 million (US$194 million). According to Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, the outstanding performance reflects the seamless integration of top-tier retail services with a surge in passenger traffic. February alone saw average daily sales of AED25.3 million, underscoring the strength of both footfall and consumer spending. Perfumes emerged as the top-selling category, generating AED371 million and accounting for approximately 18% of total revenue. Meanwhile, confectionery sales experienced a remarkable 57% year-on-year growth, significantly driven by the popularity of Dubai-branded chocolate promotions. 'The momentum we witnessed in the first quarter, especially in February, highlights not only the resilience of travel retail but also the effectiveness of our customer-focused strategies,' said Cidambi. The record figures come at a time when Dubai's aviation and tourism sectors continue to thrive, reaffirming the emirate's position as a global hub for travelers and shoppers alike. As Dubai Duty Free continues to innovate and expand its offerings, the outlook for the remainder of 2025 remains robust. With strategic promotions, a focus on premium product segments, and strong operational performance, DDF is on course for another landmark year. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Khaleej Times
09-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai Duty Free sales top Dh2 billion in first quarter
Dubai Duty Free on Wednesday announced first-quarter sales of Dh2.06 billion ($565 million). The sales growth was largely driven by an exceptional February, which set a new sales record for the month of Dh709 million ($194 million). Perfumes, beverages, tobacco, gold and confectionery held the top five spots category-wise with perfume sales reaching Dh371 million and contributing 18 per cent of total revenue. Beverages followed with sales of Dh258 million, while tobacco increased by 11 per cent over the same period last year with sales amounting to Dh220 million. Gold increased marginally with sales amounting to Dh212 million, contributing 10 per cent of total revenue. Confectionery showed robust growth, taking the fifth spot for the first time with a 57 per cent increase over the same period last year, with sales reaching Dh207 million and contributing 10 per cent of total revenue. Looking ahead, Dubai Duty Free will continue to bolster its retail offering throughout 2025, which includes the opening of boutiques in Concourse A featuring luxury brands such as LV, Cartier and Chanel. The events calendar is also busy with upcoming events, including the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials taking place at the Newbury Racecourse in the UK on 11th and 12th April, followed by the UAE Nationals Cup taking place at the Montgomerie Golf Club on May 3rd. 'We are very pleased with our sales for the first three months of the year, especially in February when daily sales reached an average of Dh25.3 million ($6.93 million) and kept pace with passenger growth. A lot of credit goes to our hard-working team of staff who achieve sales targets on an ongoing basis,' said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free. 'The remarkable success of the 'Dubai' chocolate offering has contributed significantly to the surge in the Confectionary category with specialty brands such as Fix Chocolate, Locali, I Love Dubai, Bateel and Al Nassma collectively generated sales of Dh80.4 million ($22 million). That figure represents over 1.2 million individual chocolate bars sold in the first quarter of 2025,' he added. In addition, recent renovations in the arrivals shops have led to sales hitting Dh125 million in the first quarter. 'We are very pleased with the newly renovated and refurbished retail shops in Terminals 1 and l 2 Arrivals with Terminal 3 Arrivals shop 4 due for completion next month. These enhancements are already elevating our arrivals business,' said Cidambi.
Arabian Business
09-04-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai Duty Free records $565mn in first-quarter sales after strong February performance
Dubai Duty Free has reported first-quarter sales of AED2.06 billion ($565 million), supported by a record February, which contributed AED709 million ($194 million) in monthly sales. The February result marks a new monthly record, with average daily sales of AED25.3 million ($6.93 million). 'We are very pleased with our sales for the first three months of the year, especially in February when daily sales reached an average of AED25.3 million ($6.93 million) and kept pace with passenger growth. A lot of credit goes to our hard-working team of staff who achieve sales targets on an ongoing basis,' Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said. Dubai Duty Free highlights perfumes, confectionery as top categories The top five performing categories for the first quarter were Perfumes, Liquor, Tobacco, Gold and Confectionery. Perfume sales reached AED371 million ($102 million), contributing 18 percent of total revenue. Liquor followed with AED258 million ($71 million) in sales. Tobacco recorded an 11 percent year-on-year increase to AED220 million ($60 million). Gold sales increased marginally to AED212 million ($58 million), accounting for 10 percent of total revenue. Confectionery took the fifth spot for the first time, posting a 57 percent increase over the same period last year, with sales reaching AED207 million ($57 million), also contributing 10 percent of total revenue. Dubai Duty Free records surge in chocolate sales in Q1 2025 Cidambi attributed much of the category's growth to the performance of Dubai-branded chocolate products. 'The remarkable success of the 'Dubai' chocolate offering has contributed significantly to the surge in the Confectionary category with specialty brands such as Fix Chocolate, Locali, I Love Dubai, Bateel and Al Nassma collectively generated sales of AED80.4 million ($22 million). That figure represents over 1.2 million individual chocolate bars sold in the first quarter of 2025,' he added. Sales in the renovated Arrivals shops reached AED125 million ($34 million) during the first quarter. 'We are very pleased with the newly renovated and refurbished retail shops in Terminals 1 and l 2 Arrivals with Terminal 3 Arrivals shop 4 due for completion next month. These enhancements are already elevating our Arrivals business,' Cidambi said. Dubai Duty Free plans to expand its retail operations throughout 2025, including new luxury brand boutiques in Concourse A featuring Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Chanel. The company will also host events in the second quarter of 2025. The Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials will take place at Newbury Racecourse in the UK on April 11 and 12. The UAE Nationals Cup is scheduled for May 3 at the Montgomerie Golf Club.
