The TSUM shopping centre in Abylai Khan Prospect is a historic marketplace created in 1961 in the centre of Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. The Interfood food store opened here in December 2015, as did the living accessories shop Ideal Home – both using equipment from Wanzl. In conversation with Alexey Kudryavtsev; Wanzl Sales, CIS Countries.
Almaty is almost 6,000 km away from the Wanzl headquarters in Leipheim. Wanzl developed the design concept together with the lighting, floors and ceiling displays for both shops, as well as undertaking all project coordination and supplying the interior store fixtures. The order also covered shopping trolleys in the CI design as well as exit gates. Our Kazakhstan-based sales partner worked in close collaboration locally in Almaty as a general contractor.
Sholpan Kulmakhanova, CEO and owner of SKGP Interfood, to which the Ideal Home brand also belongs, chose Wanzl as her partner for implementing an ambitious shopfitting strategy, which is clearly aimed at the premium market. All the Kazakhstan-based traders had a close eye on the project as Interfood is one of the most important retailers in the country – and we see great potential here. We have become heavily involved in the merchandise with Ideal Home in the sense that, in addition to store fittings, we are working closely with suppliers to adapt each goods area to the merchandise in question.
We found massive height differences of up to 18 cm at floor level, and the deviations in ceiling height were even greater. We used shelf platforms to compensate for all the height differences, and create a step-free and accessible store. Interfood in the TSUM is a small shop with a floor area of 440 square metres. Based on the original movement pattern of people in shops, with separate entrances and exits, Wanzl designed a maximal concept in a minimal space, with curved wire tech shelves with gondolas and a circular tower for goods that is almost 3 m tall. The customer turnstile, which used to be cramped, is now an attractive world of wines and delicatessen. The cosy café in the entrance area drives sales and is very successfully increasing customer numbers at Interfood.
"Interfood is a premium brand, and the best example of this is our shop in Almaty. ”SHOLPAN KULMAKHANOVA, CEO und Inhaberin von Interfood
