Building the retail strategy: Diriyah Gate Development Authority

Located 15 minutes north-west of Riyadh city centre, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) project aims to transform 7 sq km of Diriyah city into one of the world’s lifestyle destinations for culture and heritage, hospitality, retail and education. grmc was engaged by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority to articulate the retail strategy including F&B, Leisure and Entertainment destinations including tenant recommendations and forecasted market shares.

Diriyah, the captivating “City of Earth” nestled northwest of Riyadh, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif. Here, ancient mudbrick walls whisper tales of the first Saudi state, with towering fortresses and grand palaces like Salwa standing as testaments to the artistry and power of a bygone era. The Diriyah giga-project is a $63.2 billion project unlike any other and is poised to become a global icon for history, culture, and lifestyle.

grmc was engaged by DGDA to research and understand the key demand and supply metrics for retail, F&B and Leisure & entertainment based on consumer research and industry analysis. Significant component of the research effort involved delineating Riyadh into over two dozen communities and understanding consumer psychographics for each of these communities amongst other factors.

The grmc Approach

grmc built a comprehensive view of the Riyadh retail market including F&B and Leisure and Entertainment while conducting primary, secondary and industry research to present a robust view of population and footfall estimates to the various offerings at Diriyah Gate. Delineating the catchments, understanding consumer spends and preferences were instrumental to build the recommended category and tenant mixes along with spatial planning for each retail vertical. Research and recommendations also included understanding customer affluence and subsequent preferences of brands across retail, F&B and leisure destinations. Detailed analysis also presented the business with cross district understanding including cannibalisation and other factors that would impact sales and footfalls.

Results Achieved

grmc’s research and analysis provided the business with a macro to micro view of demand and supply metrics with detailed recommendations across retail, F&B and leisure verticals for the complete masterplan. This supported with the market analysis of the city of Riyadh provided contextual meaning to the business’s roadmap enabling key investment and implementation strategies.

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Building the retail strategy: Diriyah Gate Development Authority

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