Magrabi Retail moves to acquire 51% of Egypt's Baraka Optics
What's the deal? Magrabi Retail, the Middle East's largest eyewear retailer, has signed an agreement to acquire 51% of Baraka Optics Group, one of Egypt's leading premium optical retail chains. The deal is subject to regulatory approval, including clearance from the Egyptian Competition Authority.
Baraka operates 23 stores across Egypt under three banners: Baraka Optics, C&Co, and People. Founded in 1979 as a wholesale optics business, it launched its first retail concept in 1984 and has remained family-owned ever since.
After completion, Magrabi will assume full day-to-day management of Baraka. The existing shareholders will retain a minority stake and serve on the board.
Why now? Egypt's economy has stabilised significantly following IMF-backed reforms over the past two years. Real GDP growth hit 5.3% in the latest fiscal quarter, and household spending rose 23.1% in 2025. A stable exchange rate and falling inflation are boosting consumer confidence in this 110-million-person market.
The optical retail sector in Egypt remains highly fragmented, creating a ripe opportunity for consolidation. Baraka's established brand and premium positioning made it a natural target.
What could go wrong? Regulatory approval from the Egyptian Competition Authority is still pending. Integration risks are also real — Magrabi must absorb a family-run business with its own culture and operational norms while preserving the brand identity that made Baraka valuable in the first place.
Egypt's macroeconomic recovery, while encouraging, remains dependent on continued IMF support and broader regional stability.
The signal: Magrabi Retail's mature growth stage and systematic acquisition cadence — Rivoli GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s vision division in 2024, Kefan Optics in 2025, and now Baraka — point to a deliberate roll-up of the Middle East's fragmented eyewear market, geography by geography. Egypt, with 110 million consumers and a retail optical sector still dominated by independent operators, offers the kind of consolidation headroom that a scaled platform like Magrabi is built to exploit.
Read more: menews247.com
