Want a discount on an IKEA couch? Take a trip to India.
Hyderabad, India, is home to a 16th-century mosque, several ornate palaces ... and soon, the world's largest IKEA cafeteria.
India's first-ever IKEA store is set to open Thursday, and it will feature cheaper products and a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
The Swedish retailer has been toying with an Indian expansion for over a decade, Reuters says, and is adapting its brand to fit the locale. The maiden store, located in the southern city of Hyderabad, will sell at least 1,000 items for less than 200 rupees ($2.91). Some products may be as much as 30 percent off the U.S. price, Reuters reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The store will employ more than 900 people, 150 of whom will work on assembling furniture — a break from IKEA's do-it-yourself model. Most furniture in India is custom-built and sold by carpenters, CNNMoney notes, which inspired the store to offer the service.
"We knew from the beginning that we cannot be arrogant and try to copy and paste," Juvencio Maetzu, IKEA's deputy CEO and chief financial officer, told CNNMoney. "We really put a lot of effort into listening and understanding."
The Hyderabad location will have IKEA's largest restaurant worldwide, and it will feature both Swedish and Indian cuisine on the menu. Swedish meatballs — a staple at IKEAs across the globe — will be made with chicken or vegetables instead of beef or pork to accommodate Indian dietary tendencies, says The Times of India.
The Hyderabad location will be followed by stores in Mumbai and Bangalore in 2019 and 2020, respectively, as part of the company's plan to expand across the country. Read more at Reuters.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Marianne is The Week’s Social Media Editor. She is a native Tennessean and recent graduate of Ohio University, where she studied journalism and political science. Marianne has previously written for The Daily Beast, The Crime Report, and The Moroccan Times.
-
Magazine solutions - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Why ghost guns are so easy to make — and so dangerous
The Explainer Untraceable, DIY firearms are a growing public health and safety hazard
By David Faris Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published