In 2015 Bitar International group launched their newest venture, “Tawfeer Supermarket stores,” in 12 locations. The addition of this new chain meant that Lebanese, even before the economic recession, had a go-to destination for quality goods at affordable prices.

Unaccustomed customers to such a concept were delightfully pleased with the experience at Tawfeer stores, from the wide range of products to the welcoming and professional staff and the variety of the chain’s locations.

Its expansion to more than 20 stores is significantly due to the number one form of marketing and the most credible one, word of mouth.

“We did not bother to invest heavily in advertising or launching events,” says Mr. Rami Bitar, CEO of Tawfeer Supermarkets. “Every time a staff greeted our customers with a genuine smile or sought after their needs, every time the client found exactly what they were looking for and had a seamless experience, they became our brand ambassadors,” continued Mr. Bitar. “This company ethos, to always put our foot forward, is not merely a business strategy. It has long been a generational attribute to the Bitar Holding since the moment it was founded in 1943 by our father”, continues Rami Bitar.

While many were confident this chain would fail because of the discernible snobbery about discount stores, Tawfeer focused on improving its value proposition and expanding rapidly to over 20 stores nationwide.

Its business model proved desirable to the public and profitable to its stakeholders and investors. This success story inspired many others to open their chains and disseminate the discount store culture. It has also renewed a sense of competition with traditional supermarket chains that have lost some of their market share to Tawfeer stores. The perception that you can only find certain items and have a modest in-store experience is no longer the case.

“We welcome the advent of other stores to come,” said Rami Bitar. “We can live quite happily knowing that we’ve inspired a generation of entrepreneurs to serve better the Lebanese customer while retaining the biggest market share.”