“We are very excited to bring the IKEA Concept to South America, starting in Chile. After a long time of preparations, we are now finally able to offer the IKEA Range of well-designed, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment to the many people in the country. Falabella brings a lot of experience in developing and successfully operating retail businesses, and together we are determined to make IKEA beloved and meaningful among the customers and the society”, says Maria Johansson, IKEA Expansion Manager, Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
Expanding into South America is a special event for IKEA, not only for entering a new continent but also doing it with a new franchise, Falabella, a well-established retailer in the Americas.
“We are proud to make IKEA, one of the most admired and successful brands worldwide, available to our customers. Thanks to its unique mix of well-designed, affordable home improvement products, we will continue to develop Falabella's physical and digital ecosystem and help people simplify and enjoy their lives more", says Gaston Bottazzini, CEO of Falabella.
Sustainability – an important part of the expansion strategy
There are currently around 470 IKEA stores in 65 markets, and IKEA is constantly investigating expansion opportunities with the aim to reach more of the many people - and become even more accessible, affordable, and sustainable.
IKEA is committed to making its business climate positive by 2030. To achieve this, circularity is key: the use of renewable and recycled materials, the elimination of waste in operations and within the concept of democratic design, the way products are designed also considers their impact on the planet, both in terms of the materials they are made of and their function. In addition, the concept of circularity is promoted globally by encouraging customers to reuse or recycle IKEA products.
Here are some product examples of the IKEA range, available for Chile on the opening date, that will make it possible for the many Chileans to live a more sustainable life at home.
- HÄLLBAR: Sorting system that makes it easier to segregate waste at home. These bins can be placed inside kitchen modules with rails that allow the container to be moved just like drawers.
- DALSKÄR: This tap includes a water-saving aerator filter. In addition, it has a function that saves hot water and energy every time the knob is lifted. Reduces water consumption by up to 30% and bathroom taps by up to 40%.
- STARKVIND: Air purifier products that easily and effectively improve indoor air quality by filtering out up to 99.5% of dust particles and other allergens.
FACTS AND FIGURES
- Total job creation: 823 new positions linked to the IKEA launch in Chile.
- Relevant milestones:
- May 2018, the arrival of IKEA was announced together with Falabella.
- March 2021, the construction process began,
- August 2022 the first IKEA store in South America opens, together with the e-commerce covering the entire nation. Soon after, IKEA is to open its second store in Chile, IKEA Plaza Oeste
- 2023: IKEA to open in Bogotá, Colombia.
- IKEA restaurant in-store is 1,410 m2, with a sitting capacity of 330 hungry customers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
About IKEA and our franchise system
IKEA offers well-designed, functional, and affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment.
The IKEA retail business is operated through a franchise system with franchisees that are authorised to a market and to sell the IKEA product range within specified geographical territories. Inter IKEA Systems B.V. is the owner of the IKEA Concept and worldwide IKEA franchisor, who also assigns different IKEA companies to develop the range, supply products and deliver communication solutions. Today, 12 different groups of companies own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA brand, all sharing the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943, by Ingvar Kamprad.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
About Falabella
With more than 35 million customers and 130 years of history, Falabella is the leading physical-digital ecosystem in Latin America, through its payment platforms, financial and logistics services, e-commerce, and marketplace, leveraged by an extensive network of stores and shopping centres. It is present in 7 countries and employs 107,000 people in the region, India, and China. Through its brands Falabella, Sodimac, Tottus, Banco Falabella, Falabella.com, Mallplaza, FPay and the IKEA franchise, the ecosystem works for the purpose of simplifying and enjoying life more.