INDIA – IKEA, the world’s leading furniture retailer and manufacturer announced the openning of a store in Hyderabad sometime in the spring, if the monsoon season allows it.

“When you come to India you have to adapt. India is India. Here, you do things on her terms”, pointed out the Swede company in statements to the press.

During the preparations to enter this vast market, IKEA has learned that home furnishing is not a priority for most Indian people. They also discovered that virtually nobody in India has heard of them, none the less IKEA sees an enormous potential for change here. They’re looking forward to sharing the home furnishing knowledge they’ve pick up over the years, and to showing the people of India that making their homes more functional, beautiful and personal, needn’t be complicated nor expensive.

According to various Indian media reports, the exact opening date has not yet been determined. In the future, 850 employees will be employed in Hyderabad on a sales area of 37,160 m².

Further locations in Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi are to follow. At a later date could also be added to branches in Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Surat and Kolkata. In total, Ikea is planning to invest EUR 1.5 billion in India.

“It’s important however, that we approach with respect and humility”, says Mia Lunstrom, Creative Direcor of Ikea India. “India has a lot to teach us too. Take the fluid home for example” she says, referring to the supposedly modern, western trend where homes are made up of multi-purpose spaces rather than traditional rooms. “I used to think that was something new and cool. But in India, that’s just everyday life.”