Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation
Company Insights

Cenomi Retail

Cenomi Retail Overview

Cenomi Retail was established in 1990 as Fawaz A Alhokair & Co by Fawaz, Salman and Abdulmajeed Alhokair.

It has grown to become a leading leasing franchise retailer in Saudi Arabia.

Since opening its first store in 1991 Cenomi Retail now has 1,300 stores in 100 shopping malls in 11 countries.

Cenomi Retail has more than 55 brands under its umbrella, including fashion, childrenswear and cosmetics. It also operates restaurants and coffee shops.

In April 2024 Cenomi Retail announced the sale of 16 brands in the first quarter of 2024 as part of a turnaround strategy to stem mounting losses.

It transferred 226 stores in Saudi Arabia to Abdullah Al Othaim Fashion Company. It also left some international markets and closed an additional 219 stores in 2023.

Cenomi Retail is owned by the Cenomi Group and its sister company is Cenomi Centers.

Cenomi Retail News

Cenomi brands Aldo is one of an additional five brands Cenomi Retail's board agreed to dispose of

Cenomi to dispose of more brands in journey to black

The Saudi franchiser Cenomi Retail has agreed to sell more non-core brands as part of a programme to draw the company back into the black. At an extraordinary general meeting on Monday, shareholders gave the go-ahead for more sell-offs from the company’s portfolio of non-core assets, which was worth SAR2 billion ($530 million) when the […]

2HK6351 Message about discount, fashion blog, modern shopping and cashback, shopping and lifestyle When completed, U Walk Qassim will have capacity for 135 shops

Cenomi Centers sets up fund to complete Qassim mall

Saudi mall operator Cenomi Centers has partnered with GIB Capital to set up a SAR1 billion ($270 million) real estate development fund that will manage a Cenomi land sale in Qassim and allow a mall project there to go ahead.  Bahrain’s Gulf International Bank (GIB), the third-largest lender in the country, is almost wholly owned […]

A shopping mall in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Gulf is behind the US and Europe when it comes to rolling out retail technology, says one expert

Saudi retail in tech race to lock in consumer loyalty

Saudi and Gulf retailers are running to catch up when it comes to deploying sophisticated tools being used in other markets to develop consumer loyalty, creating an opening for innovative companies, according to analysts.  “The Middle East is a bit behind the curve,” said Premal Patel, managing director of Catalina UK, a retail consultancy.  “Technology […]

GCC retail staff shortage Video length: 07:34

Retail staff shortage dents GCC shopper satisfaction

Shoppers across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are being put off their purchases by a shortage of skilled staff in the region’s retail sector, as prices of products continue to rise. Annual retail sales in the six GCC countries are expected to grow to $300 billion by 2028, a 37 percent increase from 2022. But […]

Accessories, Bag, Handbag

Cenomi in brand merger talks with global fashion retailer

The Saudi Arabia-based franchiser Cenomi Retail is in talks with an unnamed international fashion retailer for a potential merger of some of its brands. The investment bank Lazard has been appointed as financial advisor while AS&H Clifford Chance will take on the task of legal adviser, the Saudi-listed company said in a statement. Updates on the […]

Cenomi's Makkah Mall in Saudi Arabia. The company wants to challenge Dubai for the title of top retail location in the Gulf

Record footfall at Saudi Arabia’s largest mall operator

Cenomi Centers, Saudi Arabia’s biggest mall operator, said on Thursday it had seen record footfall of 31.7 million customer visits in the first quarter of 2024, highlighting the continued strength of the Saudi retail sector.  Net profit at the company, which runs 21 malls, was down 53 percent at SAR180.5 million ($48 million) after the […]

Cenomi executives hope to attract shoppers who might otherwise spend abroad by offering a 'world class' experience Young muslim couple shopping and having fun

Saudi mall operator takes aim at Dubai’s retail crown

Saudi Arabia’s leading mall operator is looking to challenge Dubai for the title of the top retail location in the Gulf, with plans to add five more locations by 2027. Bruno Wehbe, chief operating officer of Cenomi Centers, said the Jawharat Riyadh would include new elements such as 3D holographic projections, food halls with live […]

Cenomi will reduce its number of stores from 1,000 to 367 following last year's losses

Cenomi Retail to divest more brands in turnaround plan

Franchiser Cenomi Retail has announced another round of brand divestments as it seeks to tackle rising losses. The Saudi company closed more than 200 stores last year and sold 16 brands in the first quarter of 2024. On Wednesday Cenomi Retail said its board of directors had approved the third phase of the sell-off. The […]

Strong demand for Inditex brands such as Zara increased international earnings to SAR1.1 billion

Saudi retailer Cenomi reveals major brand sale

Saudi-based franchiser Cenomi Retail has announced the sale of 16 brands in the first quarter of 2024 as part of a turnaround strategy to stem mounting losses. Cenomi transferred 226 stores in Saudi Arabia to Abdullah Al Othaim Fashion Company. This follows the retailer’s exit from some international markets and the net closure of an […]

Saudi Arabia rose nine places in the Kearney Global Retail Development Index, putting it 'at the forefront of retail's next wave of growth'

Cenomi Centers’ growth reflects Saudi retail potential

Saudi Arabia’s largest operator of shopping malls has reported record footfall, which drove a 49 percent jump in net profit last year. The number of visitors to Cenomi Centers malls rose by 19 percent to 124 million in 2023, smashing the previous pre-Covid record of 114 million in 2019. The company delivered SAR2.3 billion ($613 […]