{{Short description|Saudi Arabian grocery retailing company}} {{Infobox company | name = Panda Retail Company | logo = Panda Retail Company Logo.svg | native_name = شركة بنده للتجزئة | native_name_lang = ar | former_names = Azizia Panda United Company | type = Private | founded = {{start date and age|1978}} | key_people = Bander Talaat Hamooh (CEO)<ref>{{cite web |title="صافولا": تعيين بندر حموه رئيساً تنفيذياً لـ"بنده" |url=https://www.mubasher.info/news/3170261/-%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%88%D9%87-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B0%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%80-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-/ |website=www.mubasher.info |access-date=2 July 2023 |language=ar |date=12 October 2017}}</ref><ref name=leadership-team>{{cite web | url=https://www.savola.com/en/about-us/savola/leadership-team | title=Leadership Team|publisher=Savola Group}}</ref> | area_served = Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates | industry = Hypermarket, food and drink | products = Retail – Hypermarket | num_employees = 18,000 | revenue = SAR 26,842 million (2023)<ref name="FP">{{Cite web |url=https://savola.blob.core.windows.net/website/docs/default-source/road-show-presentation/investor-presentation---fy-2023.pdf|title=Earnings Presentation|access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref> | net_income = SAR 899 million (2023)<ref name="FP"/> | parent = Savola Group | homepage = {{URL|http://panda.com.sa}} }}

'''Panda Retail Company''' ({{langx|ar|شركة بنده للتجزئة}}) is a Saudi Arabian grocery retailing company. Panda is one of The Savola Group's subsidiaries. The Savola Group is ranked ninth amongst the top 100 companies in the Saudi Arabian market and ranked second amongst the industrial sector after SABIC. The Savola Group has recently listed its Oils and Fats division in the Saudi Stock market under the name Afia International.

==History==

United Panda Co. was founded in Riyadh in 1981 with a capital of SR 207.50 million. Initially the company dealt in selling and importing foodstuff, garments, luxury items, and electric appliances. In September 1993 Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bought 50.1% of the company, at a time it was making loss, and had sixteen supermarkets in Riyadh and two at Jeddah, after the acquisition, Al-Waleed merged his retail company Al-Azizia Markets Co. with United Panda Co. to form Al-Azizia Panda United, in which he became the chairman. In 1998, the company merged with Saudi Vegetable Oil Co. (now Savola Group) under the name United Azizia Safola Co., in the next year became United Azizia Savola Co.<ref>The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia, 2001</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121006054316/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=22596443 Bloomberg Business week].</ref><ref name="Khan">{{cite book |last1=Khan |first1=Riz |title=Alwaleed, Businessman Billionaire Prince |date=2005 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |isbn=9780060850302 |page=[https://archive.org/details/alwaleed00rizk_0/page/67 67-68] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/alwaleed00rizk_0/page/67 }}</ref>

In, September 2003, Azizia Panda United company made it to the Guinness Book by launching the biggest pyramid-shaped box with Tide.<ref name="saudigazette.com.sa">[http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009031832461 Azizia Panda sets new mark for Guinness Book of World Records ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330183843/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009031832461 |date=March 30, 2012 }}.</ref>

In 2004 Panda launched its own private label and opened its first hyper market under the brand name HyperPanda.<ref name="savolagroup">[https://www.savola.com/en/investments/retail-investments/savola-retail/panda-retail-company Panda Retail Company] Savola Group</ref>

In March 2006, Azizia Panda United opened its fifth hypermarket in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.<ref>[http://www.zawya.com/marketing.cfm?zp&p=/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20060327040338/Saudi%20Arabia:%20Savola%20to%20Open%20Fifth%20Hyper%20Panda&ref=cm Azizia Panda Savola to open its fifth hypermarket] Zawya {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017110055/http://www.zawya.com/marketing.cfm?zp&p=%2Fstory.cfm%2FsidZAWYA20060327040338%2FSaudi%20Arabia%3A%20Savola%20to%20Open%20Fifth%20Hyper%20Panda&ref=cm |date=2012-10-17 }}</ref> In April, opened its first outlet outside the kingdom of Saudi Arabia with an investment of AED 50 million (US$13.6 million). The outlet was located in Dubai's Festival City;<ref>[http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=3661&t=1 Savola unveils Dubai hypermarket plan]</ref> it was closed ten years later.<ref name="national">[https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/hyperpanda-to-shutter-its-doors-in-dubai-festival-city-1.47930 Hyperpanda to shutter its doors in Dubai Festival City] The National</ref><ref>[https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/retail/dubai-festival-city-says-goodbye-to-hyperpanda Dubai Festival City says goodbye to HyperPanda]</ref>

In December 2007, United Azizia Panda made sales worth SR3.7 billion in 2007, a 35% increase from 2006.<ref>[http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=6&section=0&article=105420&d=8&m=1&y=2008 Azizia Panda Logs SR3.7bn in Sales] Arab News {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330181542/http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=6&section=0&article=105420&d=8&m=1&y=2008 |date=March 30, 2012 }}.</ref>

In 2008, Al Azizia Panda United acquired Giant Stores in Saudi Arabia from Al-Muhaidib Group and merged it into its operations.<ref name="saudigazette.com.sa"/> In the following year Savola Group acquired all 11 Geant Stores, a franchise by al Hokair Group KSA through an asset purchase agreement, and merged it with Panda.<ref>[https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLP51334220090725 UPDATE 3-Saudi Savola expands retail chain with Geant buy]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Reuters</ref>

In March 2009, Azizia Panda unveiled the biggest bottle of shampoo in the world with 4,000 liters content of "Herbal Essences" and measuring 4.8m long.<ref>[http://www.ameinfo.com/189446.html Al Azizia Panda wins the spin on biggest shampoo bottle] AMEinfo {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006011123/http://www.ameinfo.com/189446.html |date=October 6, 2012 }}.</ref>

In July 2010, the minister of commerce and industry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Ahmed Zainal Ali Reza approved the transformation of United Azizia Panda Company from a limited liability company to a closed joint stock company.<ref>[http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100706115133/Aziziah%20Panda%20Transformed%20Into%20Closed%20Joint%20Stock%20Company Aziziah Panda Transformed Into Closed Joint Stock Company] Zawya</ref> In 2010 Panda owned 7.7% of market cap of the kingdom's retail sector.<ref>[https://alphabeta.argaam.com/article/detail/31305 أسواق بنده تستحوذ على 7.7% من سوق التجزئة وأرباحها أقل من العثيم بكثير خلال عام 2010] (Panda Retail Company owns 7.7% of retail market cap and its profit far less than Al-Othaim) Argaam</ref>

In 2014, Panda introduced Pandati stores.<ref name="savolagroup" />

In 2015, Panda opened its first store in Egypt.<ref name="savolagroup" /> After two years, opened its first hypermarket in Upper Egypt.<ref>[https://en.amwalalghad.com/saudi-panda-to-open-its-first-upper-egypt-hypermarket-next-wednesday/ Saudi Panda to open its first Upper Egypt hypermarket next Wednesday]</ref>

In November 2016, Panda Retail Company CEO Muwaffaq Mansoor Jamal, resigned after 12 years of service. Savola Group CEO Eng. Rayan Fayez named interim CEO.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/456002|title=Panda Retail’s CEO resigns, Savola’s Fayez steps in|website=Argaam|date=November 24, 2016|access-date=January 12, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/SAVOLA-GROUP-COMPANY-6497973/news/Savola-Announces-Resignation-of-Mr-Muwaffaq-Mansour-Jamal-CEO-of-Panda-Retail-Co-and-appointmen-23454422/|title=Announces Resignation of Mr. Muwaffaq Mansour Jamal, CEO of Panda Retail Co. and appointment of Eng. Rayan Mohammed Fayez as Acting CEO of Panda|website=Market Screener|date=November 24, 2016|access-date=January 12, 2023}}</ref>

As of June 2016, the company operated 65 HyperPanda stores and 156 Panda Chain outlets across Saudi Arabia.<ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/939131/corporate-news Panda Retail opens five new outlets in 30 days] Arab News</ref> In 2016 the retailer closed 51 Pandati stores.<ref name="national" />

In December 2017, Panda Retail Company interim CEO Eng. Rayan Fayez resigned. Former inspector general of the Saudi Ministry of Health, and CEO of Al Nahdi Pharmaceuticals Dr. Bandar Hamooh, named acting CEO.<ref>[https://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/savolas-retail-unit-panda-names-new-ceo-1034374 Savola's Retail Unit Panda Names New CEO] albawaba</ref><ref>[http://www.aleqt.com/2017/10/12/article_1265906.html "صافولا" : تعيين بندر حموه رئيسا تنفيذيا لشركة "بنده" (Savola: Naming Bander Hamooh as CEO of Panda)] Aliqtisadi</ref>

In November 2022, Panda Retail Company is rebranded with the new logo and Hyperpanda is changed to Panda Hyper.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==See also== {{portal|Companies|Saudi Arabia}} * Savola Group * List of companies of Saudi Arabia

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.panda.com.sa United Azizia Panda] * [http://www.panda.com.sa/english/index.php/about-us.html About United Azizia Panda]

Category:1978 establishments in Saudi Arabia Category:Companies of Saudi Arabia Category:Food and drink companies of Saudi Arabia Category:Hypermarkets Category:Retail companies established in 1978 Category:Retail companies of Saudi Arabia Category:Saudi Arabian brands Category:Supermarkets of Saudi Arabia