1. OMAN WILL SOON BE INTRODUCED TO THE CONVENIENCE OF AMERICAN-
STYLE SUPERMARKET SHOPPING. GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA COMPANY
(A&P) HAS SIGNED AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS
PRODUCTS AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR A 25,000 SQUARE FOOT SUPER-
MARKET SOON TO OPEN IN OMAN'S CAPITAL AREA. VENTURE WILL BE OWNED
BY PROMINENT OMANI BUSINESS FAMILY OF SUHAIL AND SAUD BAHWAN AND
K.M.BROTHERS, A LOCAL FOOD STORE. A&P CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER JOHN SCOTT VISITED OMAN RECENTLY IN ORDER TO FINISH THE
DEAL.
2. BAHWAN-K.M. SUPERMARKET VENTURE WILL OPERATE UNDER NAME
"GULFANA". A&P WILL CONTRIBUTE NO EQUITY, BUT SUPERMARKET WILL
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY HANDLE A&P PRODUCT LINE. SUPERMARKET WILL
MARKET FULL LINE OF FOODSTUFFS, TOILETRIES, AND HOUSEHOLD
PRODUCTS IN A WAY WHICH WILL BE A FIRST FOR OMAN. IF SUPERMARKET
IS A SUCCESS, SUPERMARKETS IN NIZWA, SOHAR, AND SALALAH WILL BE
OPENED AT A LATER DATE. BAHWAN-K.M. OWNERS PLANT TO STOCK US,
AUSTRALIAN, BRITISH, AND INDIAN FOODS IN ORDER TO CAPTURE BULK OF
EXPATRIATE MARKET IN CAPITAL AREA. FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
WILL BE FLOWN IN FROM CYPRUS AND JORDAN.
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3. OMAN SUPERMARKET WOULD BE FIRST STAGE IN EXPANSION OF A&P IN
GULF. K.M.BROTHERS PLANS TO INTRODUCE A&P-MANAGED SUPERMARKETS IN
DUBAI AND SHARJAH, WITH POSSIBLE STORES IN ABU DHABI, BAHP IN, AND
DOHA AS WELL. K.. PLANS A JOINT VENTURE WITH AL-MULLA FOR STORES
IN UPPER GULF.
4. COMMENT: OPENING OF SUPERMARKET WITH A&P PRODUCTS COULD PROVE
TO BE A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS IN
OMAN. UP TO NOW, SPINNEY'S OF UK HAS HAD VIRTUAL MONOPOLY ON
RETAIL FOOD SALES TO EXPATRIATES. SUPERMARKET WITH FULL RANGE OF
HOUSEWARES AND FRESH FOODS SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERCUT SPINNEY'S ON
PRICES AND LARGE PART OF EXPATRIATE MARKET AS WELL AS ATTRACTING
WEALTHIER OMANIS WHO HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO WESTERN TASTES. IF
PLANNED SUPERMARKETS ARE SUCCESSFUL, A&P COULD SEVERELY THREATEN
BRITISH DOMINANCE OF PROCESSED FOODS IN AREA.
WOLLE
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