THIS IS A DRAFT
 | |
| Company type | LLC |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wireless Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Miami, Florida, United States |
Key people | Jose Luis Zreik, CEO |
| Products | Distribution, Logistic, Supply Chain, Device Buy-back and Trade-in, Handset Protection and Insurance, Multi-channel Retail and Mobile Financing Services |
Number of employees | 560 |
| Website | www.akkarg.com |
A global manufacturer and distributor of wireless and mobile devices, Akkar Group carries brands such as YEZZ, NIU, Apple, BlackBerry, Nokia, Samsung, Motorola and LG.
Founded in Venezuela in 1994 by entrepreneur and current CEO, Jose Luis Zreik, Akkar Group began as a subsidiary of Grupo Cedro, a business that sold home electronics. Upon realization that 35% sales of the company were of mobile products, Akkar Group was established alongside a chain of stores created to penetrate retail, as well as wholesale markets.
Akkar Group expanded internationally by 1999, with operations in Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica and the United States, also becoming authorized dealers for Motorola, Samsung and LG. Offices were opened in Miami, Florida and in 2003, company headquarters were officially moved to Miami.
Throughout the years of 2004-2010, Akkar expanded operations with the beginning of the recharge electronic platform in Mexico, followed by opening of commercial offices in Guatemala and El Salvador. “Puntos Naranja” network was launched in 2007 for sale of pre-paid products throughout Latin America, and later in 2008, the company was named Motorola’s key partner to promote growth in the retail chains of Colombia.
In 2009 the commercial office in Guatemala become a subsidiary of Akkar Group, continuing expansion of “Puntos Naranja” in 2010 by opening operations in Costa Rica.
In more recent years, 2011-2013, business expansion and growth continued with the beginning of operations in Ecuador, opening of new offices in China, (2011) Peru, Panama, and Uruguay (2012) and commercial offices in Spain and France (2013). In 2012 Akkar also co-created and distributed the brands YEZZ and NIU with partner, DDM Brands, followed by Akkar opening a factory in Ecuador in 2013. With the success of YEZZ and NIU in the open market, business increased from wholesale to include retail chains and carriers, and Akkar became authorized to distribute the brand, Popclik.
Partners
editTo achieve product success, Akkar has associated themselves with creators of chips such as MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Spreadtrum, representing approximately 70% of worldwide sales of chips. Akkar currently staffs over 560 employees throughout the Americas and Europe.