The Chief Executive Officer of Le Monde de la Maison and Courts Mammouth, Mr Andrew Cohen, launched Le Monde de la Maison in the distinguished presence of the President of the Republic of Mauritius, His Excellency Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun G.C.S.K, who served as the chief guest at the grand opening of this unparalleled shopping destination.
The event was also graced by the Hon. Mr Soomilduth Bholah, Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives; the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Dr the Hon. Mrs Marie Christiane Dorine Chukowry; and the Vice Chairman of the EDB, Issa Soormally, at Le Monde de la Maison, Tribeca Mall, on the evening of Friday, the 27th of October 2023.
“The event being held tonight bears testimony to the trust and confidence of economic operators and investors to start and expand their activities in Mauritius. Lately, Mauritius had to face difficult times resulting from Covid-19. Things have started to get better and economies are picking up, but we still need to be careful. But when we see businesses launching or expanding activities in Mauritius, it shows they trust in the economic policies, measures and incentives put in place by the government to build a conducive environment to promote economic development and financial stability. This encourages the government in its mission and vision to propel Mauritius towards the higher level of development while ensuring a better quality of life for its citizens. As an example, it is worth pointing out that the launch of new organisations or opening of additional branches of existing organisations means that job opportunities are being offered to hundreds of people who will earn a living and contribute to the expenses of their respective households,” underlined Dr the Hon. Mrs Marie Christiane Dorine Chukowry in her remarks.
“I would like to congratulate Courts Mammouth and Le Monde de la Maison for their initiative in bringing their products and services closer to the population. Having several players operating in the same field and proposing a wide array of products to consumers, also gives a boost to competition. People will benefit from a wide choice of products, and they will be able to make well thought decisions before effecting their purchase. If you play a fair game, we will support fairly,” she concluded. “Let us build together a new business culture of care and trust where customers can get the best value and the best services.”
A journey of 40 years in the making, fuelling homes and hopes of Mauritius
For his part, the Hon. Mr Soomilduth Bholah noted that, since the opening of its very first store in Belle Village back in 1985, Courts Mammouth quickly made its way in the homes and hearts of Mauritius. It has always been associated with new beginnings of so many Mauritian families – be it cherished events such as furnishing your house when you are on the verge of getting married; expansion project of your house; buying your child their first computer, laptop or mobile phone; or setting up the living room of your dreams with the latest entertainment appliances.
“Since its humble origins, Courts Mammouth established itself as the number one retailer of furniture, entertainment, technology and leisure products in Mauritius. With 27 stores and sales figures of over Rs 3.3 bn, Courts Mammouth provides employment to over 1,100 persons. What a remarkable journey and achievement!” he noted, extending his appreciation to the Cohen family who made the bold move to launch Courts in Mauritius almost four decades ago and persevered to ensure the survival of the business and expanding it with relentless efforts. The acquisition of Price Guru and the launch of Le Monde de la Maison bear testimony to this dedication, together with the fact that their sofa factory is currently exporting to South Africa’s largest furniture retail group. Hearteningly, Courts Mammouth works in close collaboration with SMEs all along its production and supply chain – this partnership allows both parties to thrive and empowers Courts Mammouth to play a crucial role in stimulating SME development and growth. There is a wonderful tale of solidarity, bonding and collaborative spirit at the heart of the company, he elaborated.
“It takes passion and dedication to constantly bring top notch products and offer a seamless shopping experience to customers. Through constant investment and expansion plans, Courts Mammouth is also paving the way for creating jobs and contributing to economic prosperity. The innovative and futuristic retail format of Le Monde de la Maison reflects the company’s dedication to being more than just a store – and indeed a trusted partner in creating the perfect home. As your tagline says at Courts Mammouth: Your home is here. I must admit I feel at home here,” he concluded.
Significantly, the keynote address by chief guest, His Excellency Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, went on to give a nod to former CEO Mr David Issacs, who has been associated with Courts Mammouth since the very beginning. “I understand this store is going to be the biggest in the Indian Ocean. I wish to also state that this grand opening is being done on a very auspicious day of the first summer rainfall of the East and Central region. We have heard about the nearly 40 years of partnership between Courts Mammouth and Mauritius. With its opening in 1985, Courts Mammouth became the first and largest non-food retailer on the island, specialising in home furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and decoration. For us, it was the largest display of different types of products, for the first time under the same roof. Having quality products of different types, Televisions, sofa sets and mattress – made Courts Mammouth a pioneer that revolutionised and democratised the shopping landscape, providing hire purchase not only for electronics but also for furniture at different stages of lives of Mauritians with opportunities to have access to different types of crucial appliances. Courts Mammouth also revolutionised home delivery all over the island, and we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the brand for being in the country for the last 40 years.”
He explained that Courts Mammouth has evolved over time, with more than 20 retail outlets and over 1,100 employees, innovating throughout and partnering with financial institutions such as CIM, enhancing products through digitalisation and e-Commerce. Le Monde de la Maison has international brands such as IKEA taking shopping to a new level with a totally unique concept, including extensive entertainment such as House of the Future, 5D animation, and also a Snow Zone allowing families to enjoy a winter space in this tropical paradise, thus creating an inviting space for shopping and so many entertainment activities. He concluded that shopping centres have transformed the landscape with leisure spaces and cultural events and underlined the importance of inclusiveness with big brands like Courts Mammouth supporting the growth and development of SMEs while underlining that it was also heartening that there is a space for manufacturing and exports to take place. “We should also create opportunities for youth and women entrepreneurs to work together so that there can be hand holding for them to develop. With the support and collaboration of all our partners in the private sector we will work hand in hand for innovative to thrive, businesses to flourish and our nation to prosper.”
Finally, Andrew Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of Le Monde de la Maison and Courts Mammouth, noted: “My predecessor as CEO of Mammouth Mauritius for 30 years, Mr David Issacs, together with my late father, Bruce Cohen, ushered in a shopping revolution in 1985 on June 13th with the introduction of a move to Mauritius. The mission was to improve Mauritians’ lives with furniture and electricals affordable to all with consumer credit. I remember all the excitement of the opening in Belle Village 38 years ago. And over the years, we have touched the lives of generations of Mauritius, leaving an indelible mark. Le Monde de la Maison is not just another chapter but another revolution and for a new generation. With more than 100,000 sq ft in Tribeca Mall, it is the largest retail store in the Indian Ocean and an innovative retail format unparalleled in the Southern Hemisphere.”
He went on to note that Le Monde de la Maison is more than only a shopping destination but a curation of extraordinary experiences. Besides offering ‘the island’s most extensive selection of products for your home’, there is an entertainment zone, cafe, chocolate factory, post office, 5D animation show, and mobile phone repair, among others. It is a haven for shoppers and families to explore, experience, shop and indulge and also the store of the future made for the digital age with educational masterclasses and self-checkout on your mobile phone, he added. It boasts an international selection straddling globally renowned IKEA products, premium carry furniture from Germany, Astra designer kitchens from Italy, and Courts Mammouth – this extends their reach to all Mauritians across all income levels, including the elite.
Offering a shopping experience unlike any other – quality and affordability personified
Also, most excitingly, for the first time in Mauritius, Le Monde de la Maison will offer 0% interest payments over 30 months, as well as same-day delivery for orders placed before 2 p.m.
“Thank you to all our financial institutions, especially AfrAsia and CIM Finance, also SBI, SBM, ABC Bank, MCB and Bank One for helping build something innovative and world class for Mauritians. It is appreciated and your money is in good hands,” he nodded.
He also highlighted that the company has grown in the last 3-4 years from 580 to 1,100 Mauritians directly employed and from Rs 1.7 bn to over Rs 3.3 bn last year with over 600,000 valued customers. He also unfolded plans to grow over the year ahead including international expansion for Courts Mammouth through franchising and for Le Monde de la Maison likewise.“As part of our growth, we have expanded into sofa manufacturing with the Africa Furniture Group with 100,000 sq foot state-of-the-art sofa factory in Solitude now supplying Courts Mammouth sofa customers and supplying South African retail group with over 600 stores and increasing sofa exports to European and African markets. We are proud to be creating a new export category and many jobs for the island. We also recently acquired IMF – a large factory in Terre Rouge – and Price Guru – led by the online pioneer Yannick Ayacanou, who together with Christopher Rainer, built the largest e-commerce platform in the Mascarenes,” he concluded.
The store will house more than eight furniture brands, including Astra Cucine, Bella Casa, Cavendish, Gymtec, Kare, Leather Studio and Pure Sleep. For entertainment lovers, Allée des Flamboyants, Trick Eyes, Ma Maison – a full-size house in the store – and soon Snow Village, Mammoth Cave, Mo Lakaz 5D, Moka Mocha and Choco L’Art will offer an experience unlike any other with the aim to boost footfalls with new avenues for cultural tourism. Finally, the pre-and-post-sales services offered, including interior design assistance, and the Genius Squad for repairs and installations, aim to make life easier for customers.
