1. Could you begin by introducing Groupe Roland Maurel and its evolution into one of Mauritius’ most dynamic and diversified business groups?
Founded in 1964 by my father, Roland Maurel, the Group began with Mauvilac Paints and played a pioneering role in Mauritius’ industrialisation. Over time, it diversified into textiles chemicals, construction materials, retail, tourism, and international trade, with operations expanding into Africa, Europe and the US.
Roland Maurel is a true entrepreneur, introducing many “firsts” to Mauritius: the first hypermarket under the Continent brand, Domaine Les Pailles - the first green tourism theme park, Le Grand Casino des Pailles - the island largest casino, and the island’s first industrial scale ethanol plant converting sugarcane molasses into bio-ethanol.
When I joined the Group, I continued that entrepreneurial spirit by launching our duty-free activity in 2008. From a single retail shop in Grand Bay, we evolved into a multi-channel duty-free and domestic distribution group.
Today the Group is involved in Bunkering, Real Estate, Duty Free Retail, Duty Free Distribution across Africa & Indian Ocean islands, FMCG, Tobacco & Perfume Domestic Distribution (Mauritius, Reunion and Africa), E-commerce and 3PL services.
2. Go Duty Free has become a strong player in travel retail across the Indian Ocean. What distinguishes your approach to duty-free operations, and how do you see the market evolving post-pandemic?
Go Duty Free started in 2008 with a single downtown duty-free shop in Grand Bay. Seventeen years later, we operate a fully integrated duty-free retail, e-commerce and distribution platform across the Indian Ocean and more than 30 African markets, distributing global brands to airports, seaports, downtown, diplomatic and border duty-free retail channels.
What truly differentiates us is our structure, our proximity to the market, and our ability to consolidate.
The pandemic and subsequent geopolitical disruptions exposed the vulnerability of long logistics routes to Africa and the Indian Ocean. Extended lead times, unpredictable shipping schedules, and rising costs forced global brands to rethink, and international players now require local presence, regional warehousing, and teams on the ground who understand the specifics of each market.
We offer exactly that. With teams on the ground across Africa and the Indian Ocean, and climate-controlled warehouses in Mauritius, Réunion and France, with expansion plans in Africa, we keep stock close to end markets, shorten lead times dramatically, and consolidate multiple product categories for retailers.
Our model is based on efficiency, consolidation, and immediate access to regional consumers.
Mauritius plays a central role in this strategy. With its credibility, connectivity, Freeport infrastructure and financial ecosystem, the country is perfectly positioned to become the duty-free and logistics hub of Africa, the ‘Dubai of the Indian Ocean’.
Our recent acquisition of Selective Brands (France) strengthens this vision. With 23 years of expertise in perfume distribution and operations in 32 African countries, Selective Brands brings us a strong presence on the ground and completes our travel retail portfolio, which is one of the most comprehensive in the region with perfumes, tobacco, spirits, confectionery, and travel accessories.
Travel retail has fully recovered, but the rules have changed. Success is about being close to the consumer, operationally agile, and capable of navigating fragmented markets. This is precisely the ecosystem we have built.
3. E-commerce is transforming the retail landscape globally. How is the group leveraging technology to integrate online platforms with traditional retail channels?
E-commerce in our region represents one of the biggest untapped opportunities. We anticipated this shift early, launching our duty-free platform just before COVID. While traditional travel retail was disrupted, our ‘click-and-collect’ engine continued to capture demand by allowing travelers to browse, reserve and pay online, then collect at the airport.
But our approach goes well beyond a website. We operate a true omnichannel ecosystem, engaging customers before, during and after travel through digital partnerships with hotels, airlines and tour operators.
Our platform is fully integrated with inventory and ERP systems, giving real-time visibility and allowing us to use data analytics to optimise assortments and promotions. We are now extending this digital know-how into our distribution activities, supporting B2B ordering, brand visibility and future marketplace initiatives.
4. Your group has also ventured into land development projects. How do these initiatives reflect your vision for sustainable living in Mauritius?
The concept behind our land development projects is to create ecosystems where people can work, live, and play, the essence of a smart city. Our current flagship project is Royal Saint-Louis, located in the mountains just outside our capital city, Port Louis.
Imagine it like a tropical “ski resort”, a village surrounded by vast green space for outdoor activities. The project is under the Smart City Scheme, allowing both local and foreign investors to participate and benefit from the incentives. It’s a blend of modern urban planning and natural living.
We welcome international partners who share our long-term vision and wish to participate in shaping the future of sustainable living on the island.
5. Through your partnership with TFG-GRM, Groupe Roland Maurel is also entering the energy and maritime supply sectors. How is the company contributing to sustainable and efficient bunkering in the Indian Ocean?
TFG-GRM is a joint venture we launched with TFG Marine, a leading physical bunkering procurement and trading platform. Mauritius sits on a key east-west shipping corridor, and with the right standards, it can become one of the most competitive and reliable bunkering hubs in Africa.
Our focus is on bringing international-level transparency, safety, and efficiency to the sector. A key step toward this was our introduction of mass flow meter technology - the global benchmark mandated in Singapore and in Sohar, and a first in Mauritius. This system eliminates the inaccuracies and risks inherent in manual dipping, significantly improving transparency, speed, and operational integrity for shipowners and fuel suppliers. Our next step is full digitalisation to enable real-time data sharing with the Port, Customs, and all stakeholders, strengthening compliance, traceability, and operational coordination across the entire bunkering chain.
As global shipping transitions towards low-carbon fuels, vessels will need more frequent and more reliable refueling points. If Mauritius wants to position itself as a world-class maritime services hub, the industry needs policies, infrastructure, and processes that match international expectations. Our Group is committed to working hand-in-hand with the authorities to help elevate the sector so that global players see Mauritius not only as a convenient stop, but as a strategic partner they can depend on.
6. Mauritius is positioning itself as a trade and logistics hub between Africa and Asia. How is Groupe Roland Maurel contributing to national efforts in trade, tourism, and infrastructure development?
Mauritius has the potential to become a strategic trade and logistics hub between Africa and Asia, but this requires strong public-private alignment. Our Group contributes by building platforms that global players can rely on, in duty-free distribution, logistics and maritime services.
Through our Freeport operations, we help international brands serve Africa efficiently from Mauritius, reinforcing the country’s credibility as a compliant and stable logistics base.
In parallel, our bunkering activities are raising standards at the Port, with positive spill-overs for shipping services, logistics, tourism and financial services.
Our ambition is to help Mauritius operate at the level of leading global hub to become the preferred gateway linking Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
7. The Gulf region, especially the UAE, has shown strong interest in logistics, energy, and real estate partnerships in Mauritius. Do you see potential synergies between your group and Gulf-based investors?
Yes, very much so. Gulf investors have unique expertise in large-scale, integrated lifestyle and infrastructure projects, which aligns closely with our long-term vision.
Royal Saint-Louis is a good example. This flagship mountain development minutes from Port Louis and Ebène, spans large forested and elevated landscapes and offers opportunities for luxury residences, wellness, eco-tourism and sustainable infrastructure. It is exactly the type of project where Gulf partners can bring global know-how and help set new benchmarks for premium living in Mauritius.
8. Finally, what message would you like to share with Khaleej Times readers about Groupe Roland Maurel’s long-term vision?
Our long-term vision is to help position Mauritius as a trusted gateway linking Europe, the Middle East, Asia to the Indian Ocean islands and Africa through duty-free, logistics and maritime services built on transparency, innovation and international standards.
We want Mauritius to be seen not only as a destination, but as a reliable partner and a platform for growth for global players looking toward Africa.
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