ROBUST GROWTH: Photo shows Wisma Jakel in the Masjid India area of Kuala Lumpur. Jakel Group of Companies is targeting sales to reach RM500 million this year compared with more than RM400 million in 2011 with the addition of two new outlets.
KOTA KINABALU: Jakel Group of Companies, a pioneer Bumiputera textile company in Malaysia, is targeting sales to reach RM500 million this year compared with more than RM400 million in 2011 with the addition of two new outlets.
Its managing director and chief executive officer Mohamed Faroz Mohamed Jakel said the two new outlets are located in Ampang and Bangi, both in Selangor, with investments of about RM30-40 million.
“Our business started since 1983, with the aim of having one outlet in each state…We now have 18 outlets nationwide,” he told Bernama at Malaysia Unit Trust Week 2012 (MSAM 2012).
Mohamed Faroz was one of the invited speakers at the MIDF Entrepreneur Symposium held in conjunction with MSAM 2012.
Synonymous with its motto, ‘Remember Textile, Remember Jakel’, Mohamed Faroz said Jakel was always active in its efforts to bring its name in line with competitors, by allocating 12 per cent of revenue per year for promotions and advertisements.
“Almost every year, we spend some RM8 million for promotions via various media channels to ensure that Jakel is the customers’ choice during festive seasons and throughout the year,” he added.
Touching on the group’s business avenue namely its head-dress under Ariani brand set up four years ago, Mohamed Faroz said response from customers was very good.
The company has opened 19 Ariani outlets so far and sold close to 20 million pieces of head-dress every year.
“We also have 60 designers specifically for Ariani head-dress, to ensure we have exclusive features for each design, to be competitive with other head-dress brands,” he said.
“We also have some 480,000 active members for Ariani at present,” he said, adding that the Ariani products are targeted at middle- and upper-class customers.
Nevertheless, he said Jakel is also giving focus to the lower and middle-class customers through the launch of Hajra brand which now has 21 outlets.
To date, the group’s head-dress and shawl segment has contributed 20 per cent to the group’s business, he added. — Bernama