Ikea Arrives in Colombia and Will Create 700 jobs

Before the end of 2023, Ikea will open its first store in Colombia. It will be located in the Mall Plaza NQS in Bogota. During 2024, the Swedish company will also launch two more stores: in Cali and Medellin. At the same time, the e-commerce business will be launched. Initially, digital sales will only be available in the capital city, with plans to expand the offering nationwide.

Partnership with Falabella

The European multinational is entering Colombia through its commercial alliance with Falabella. This year, using the franchise model, Ikea is commencing operations in Chile, Peru, and Colombia, in partnership with the Chilean multinational. The aim of the franchises in Colombia is to offer the successful European and US model.

“We continue to prepare as a team to open our first store in the second half of 2023,” confirmed Hasbleidy Castañeda, market manager of Ikea in Colombia. The company is thus sticking to its schedule to open its first Colombian retail location.

“The alliance between Ikea and Falabella involves an investment of around $600 million that will make the opening of nine stores in the three countries possible, in addition to the online channel for each market, over the course of 10 years,” noted Castañeda.

Ikea is now present in 62 markets. Its entry into Colombia follows the opening of stores in Chile and is happening alongside its arrival in Peru.

The First Store in Bogota

Before the end of this year, the Bogota store will open its doors. It will cover 26,000 square meters and offer more than 6,000 products, furniture, and decorative items “at affordable prices for most people,” Castañeda pointed out.

“Colombians see their homes as spaces for family sharing, and through Ikea, we hope to create a better day-to-day life for most people, precisely by arriving in the country with solutions that allow them to enjoy and share even more.”

To achieve this goal, Ikea works with a team of 20 professionals who work on-site each time a new store is launched. Customers will have access to furniture showrooms, where they can be inspired and gather ideas to design their spaces. Ikea works with the idea of maximizing small spaces, homes with children, as well as offering various options in design, quality, and affordability.

Swedish Restaurant and Supermarkets

In Ikea stores in Colombia, in addition to home products, customers will also be able to enjoy Swedish specialties offered in its restaurant and supermarket, along with traditional Scandinavian products.

Its popular meatballs, sweet snacks, beverages, condiments, and bakery products, including cinnamon rolls, will be available.

Employment Opportunities

The major home furniture and decor retailer is offering 700 job positions in Colombia alone at the start of its operations. The job offers are for personnel in Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Valle del Cauca, and Antioquia.

“To start its operations, Ikea will form a team with different profiles and levels of experience for its store, distribution center, and administrative offices,” Ikea stated in a communication during its announcement in Colombia.

“With this, the company aims to stimulate the economy, generating more than 700 jobs,” the company concluded. Ikea offers jobs in various sectors including sales, operations, logistics, floor sales, finance, human resources, design, security, and kitchen, for its retail locations.

The company’s job offers are available on its LinkedIn profile and on the regional employment portal AIRA.