The first Fnac Darty in the Kingdom will feature multi-brand consumer electronics, household appliances, books, and other lifestyle products The Saudi retail giant also plans to expand its network of Aleph Apple premium reseller and Decathlon sporting goods stores DUBAI: Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. (Alhokair) has signed a franchise agreement with European electronic and entertainment retailer Fnac Darty, with the first store to open in 2022. The Saudi retail giant also plans to expand its network of Aleph Apple premium reseller and Decathlon sporting goods stores, it said in a stock exchange filing on Tuesday. The first Fnac Darty in the Kingdom will feature multi-brand consumer electronics, household appliances, books, and other lifestyle products, according to a statement. “The European retailer’s strategic focus on building a strong customer base with evolving experiences around electronics, multimedia and lifestyle categories, is a major milestone in Alhokair’s journey to become the lifestyle retail partner of choice in Saudi Arabia,” said Alhokair CEO Marwan Moukarzel. Fnac Darty operates 908 stores, including 346 franchises globally. It reported international revenues of over $8.9 billion in 2020, 31 percent of which came from online sales. Alhokair said the deal comes as demand for electronics, such as tablets and laptops, have surged in the Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic, where employers and schools have offered more flexible setups for workers and students. Alhokair operates more than 1,800 retail stores across 12 countries, with a portfolio of more than 90 international and local brands in fashion, beauty, sports, multimedia, and food and beverage. The company said it also plans to roll out new Aleph Apple Premium Reseller stores with one new location added in U-Walk Riyadh on April 18 2021 and three others slated to open by the end of May 2021. The total number of Aleph stores is expected to reach 20 over the course of the next 18 months, it said. The company also opened the global sports and leisure brand, Decathlon’s first-ever Saudi store in Jeddah on April 10 2021. It will be followed by three more stores to be opened in 2021 in Riyadh.