Chakir Berrada: ‘The logistics of northern Morocco have been key to IKEA's establishment in the country’
IKEA, the Swedish store of reference in terms of furniture and household goods, is present practically all over the world, and a region as booming as northern Morocco was not going to be an exception.
In 2016, the first store was opened in Casablanca and, as of today, there are already three IKEA centres in the country. Chakir Berrada, managing director of the latest one, in Cabo Negro, has reviewed for Atalayar how the chain arrived in Morocco.
2024 marks eight years since IKEA arrived in Morocco. What is your assessment of that time?
I'm happy to say that Moroccans love IKEA and that, since our opening in 2016, we have welcomed more than 10 million people to our stores and more than 30 million visitors to our website. And the number is growing year after year. It's a really positive balance that shows that customers are very happy with us and we are happy with the Moroccan clientele.
Are you planning to open new centres in Morocco?
We really believe in IKEA's potential in Morocco. After opening our first store in Zenata, we opened one of the first IKEA stores in the world, in the Morocco Mall in Casablanca. Then, in June 2022, we opened a 30,000 square metre logistics and customer service platform, which is a prerequisite for guaranteeing the capacity we need to support our ambitious expansion plan. And last year we opened the IKEA store in Cabo Negro. We are very happy with what we have achieved this year; we believe that many stores will open in the near future.
What is the profile of IKEA customers in Morocco?
Our vision at IKEA is to ensure or create a better everyday life for many people. Before opening in Morocco, we had the opportunity to do some research into the tastes of Moroccan customers: we visited their homes and asked them questions to find out about their needs, their desires and their way of life. And what we have seen is that both Moroccans and foreigners living in Morocco love IKEA: they like the shopping experience and spending a fun day in our stores. So we are optimistic about the future, and we take the opinions of our visitors very seriously, which has helped us to increase our customer base and grow much more in the country.
Do you offer the same products as in other IKEA centres in other countries or do you adapt to the specific needs of the Moroccan market?
Our product range is very consistent in every country in the world, including Morocco. However, we have tried to adapt to the Moroccan way of life and we have received really positive feedback on this. Although the IKEA range is similar in every country in the world, there is the way of displaying it and inspiring people.
Was it easy to find local staff with the right training to work at IKEA?
Of course. The first thing IKEA takes really seriously is having a positive impact on the society in which it is established. What we did when we opened IKEA Cabo Negro was to partner with the local authorities, the schools, the universities and make sure we hired good people. I am proud to say that, in our store, 90% of our co-workers are local, from the region. At IKEA we hire based on people's values and the way they work reflects their values. We ensure and value the personal and professional development of our people, and we want them to have a career in the company. Our aim is for our employees to become the future leaders of IKEA, whether in Morocco or in the world. I myself started eight years ago in logistics at IKEA Casablanca, then moved on to sales, developed as deputy store manager in Casablanca and now I am store manager here in Cabo Negro.
As an international brand present in different countries around the world, how do you rate the infrastructure and logistics of the northern region of Morocco in terms of business development?
Morocco started developing the logistics infrastructure a long time ago, thanks to the vision of His Majesty the King. Since we established ourselves in Casablanca, Morocco's logistics infrastructure has helped us a lot to support our supply chain, which is particularly complex. We have great support from the local authorities, especially in the north. Morocco is ranked among the best countries in terms of logistics; we have a lot of infrastructure, such as the port of Tangier Med, very modern motorways and a rail network that also helps us make very fast deliveries.
In recent years, coinciding with the arrival in Morocco, the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region has experienced an enormous economic revitalisation that has transformed into a real estate boom. Has it had a positive impact?
We have always believed in the potential of this region. That is why this IKEA store is the second largest to have opened in the north. We are very happy with the results of the first year and we hope that next year it will be much bigger.
Do Spaniards who settle in Morocco also come to IKEA?
Of course. We have many Spanish customers who come to buy furniture for their second homes and they love IKEA. It's something that's in everyone's subconscious: IKEA is the place to go when you want a good solution for furnishing your home. And, of course, we also see it in Moroccans living in Spain who, when they come here, see a concept similar to the IKEA experience around the world.
