Swedish furniture giant Ikea is intensifying its India presence through a mixed expansion strategy, combining online sales in 10 cities and new physical stores in key metro markets. Ikea India CEO Susanne Pulverer confirmed the company’s focus on growth and its pursuit of profitability in the coming years. 

The company has already launched online sales in cities like Delhi-NCR, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Varanasi, Agra, and Prayagraj, with online revenue contributing 30% of its total sales.

 

Ikea is also strengthening its offline footprint with plans to open two full-sized stores in Delhi-NCR — one in Gurugram by 2026 and another in Noida by 2028 — adding to its existing stores in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Future store openings in Pune and Chennai are also on the horizon, though the timelines are yet to be finalised. 

In addition, Ingka Centres, part of Ikea’s parent Ingka Group, is investing €1 billion to develop two commercial hubs under the 'Lykli' brand in Gurugram and Noida. These centres will feature hotels, offices, and smaller Ikea anchor stores, enhancing the company’s physical presence. 

Unlike its larger-format stores in Bengaluru (460,000 sq ft), Hyderabad (480,000 sq ft), and Navi Mumbai (530,000 sq ft), the new Gurugram and Noida stores will be compact, ranging between 200,000 to 250,000 sq ft, optimising costs while maintaining the complete Ikea experience. 

Despite its expansion, Ikea India reported a wider loss of Rs 12.99 billion in FY24, though revenue grew 4.5% year-on-year to Rs 18.09 billion. Pulverer emphasised the company’s commitment to affordability and its investment in scaling operations, with profitability expected as the business grows. 

(FE)