Homeware brand Karaca brings Danish retailer to Turkish market
Chief sales officer of the Flying Tiger Copenhagen Jens Aarup Mikkelsen (L) and Sami Hotak, Karaca Group board member shake hands during the presentation of partnership, Istanbul, Türkiye, March 5, 2024. (AA Photo)


Danish variety store chain Flying Tiger Copenhagen is gearing up to enter the Turkish market later this year after its partnership with Türkiye's Karaca Group, one of the largest homeware brands in the country, popular for porcelain and glass production.

The first store of the brand, which offers more than 4,000 products ranging from home decor and toys to stationary and kitchenware, will open in Istanbul in October. Founded in 1995, the chain has spread to 36 countries.

Sami Hotak, a Karaca Group board member, said they are excited about bringing Flying Tiger Copenhagen to Türkiye. "We are very excited to be a pioneer in offering a lively and enjoyable experience that will make people smile," he told Anadolu Agency (AA).

"We also believe that this move will add dynamism to the entire retail industry."

Commenting on the partnership for the Turkish market, he said "We will learn a lot from each other."

"We want to open stores not only in Istanbul but also in Izmir, Ankara, Bursa and Antalya," Hotak said, adding that about 100 stores are expected in the next five years.

The partnership will significantly increase Karaca's effectiveness in the global market, and help it achieve its 2030 vision, the board member said.

Jens Aarup Mikkelsen, chief sales officer of the Flying Tiger Copenhagen, said they offer high-quality daily life products and their mission is to provide offers aiming to bring people together by transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Referring to their motivation for being in Türkiye, Mikkelsen said they received great interest from Turkish customers in their stores in Europe.

"We are really happy and excited that we can finally bring Flying Tiger Copenhagen to Türkiye," he said. "We are a Danish brand and really proud of our design, heritage and history. We look forward to presenting our products in the Turkish market and to learn and see together how we can succeed in appealing to Turkish consumers everywhere."

Saying that the Turkish market is of strategic importance for them, and they have a strong belief Türkiye will stand out as one of the largest markets globally, Mikkelsen stated: "We believe that we can achieve this goal with a major company like Karaca Group."