What Trolley General Trading Company does

Trolley General Trading Company K.S.C.C. is a Kuwait-based convenience-led grocery retailer that operated 249 stores across Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as of 31 March 2026, following its 2010 founding in Kuwait and 2021 entry into Saudi Arabia. The company runs two complementary store formats — the flagship Trolley premium convenience brand targeting high-traffic gas stations and university catchments, and Baqala Bodega, a neighborhood format designed to address fragmented residential demand with lower capital intensity. Its core proposition is sub-30-minute access to snacks, beverages, essential everyday items, and hot/fresh products, with a curated assortment spanning local and global brands (e.g., Starbucks, Ole, Goodness, Oula). Distribution combines owned retail stores, channel partnerships with fuel station operators (Tas'helat Marketing covering Aramco/TotalEnergies stations, and Aldrees across 1,300+ stations), and a digital channel comprising a mobile app and loyalty program.

The company's underlying technology stack is a centralized warehouse distribution model (adopted ~2023) integrated with a digital platform supporting loyalty enrollment (339,000 registered members), over 100,000 active app users, online ordering, and customer behavior analytics for personalization. Revenue is generated through three streams: direct retail sales (KWD 23.5M in Q1 2026, +26% YoY), shop-in-shop rental income from subleased in-store spaces (KWD 2.1M, +107.6% YoY), and digital/online sales (KWD 1.3M, +5.4% YoY). Q1 2026 gross margin reached 35% with wastage/shrinkage below 1%, supporting a 19.3% EBITDA margin. The business model is asset-light relative to traditional supermarket retail by leveraging partner fuel-station sites and a shop-in-shop sublease model, while retaining control of brand, assortment, and customer data.

Trolley is publicly listed on Boursa Kuwait Premier Market under ticker TROLLEY (ISIN KW0EQ0610414) following its 25 March 2026 listing, which raised approximately KWD 59.5 million (USD ~195 million) through a secondary private placement of 35% of share capital at 618 fils per share, implying a market capitalization of KWD 170 million (~USD 553 million). The company is family-controlled, with the Boodai family holding key leadership — Mohammed Yaqoub Boodai as Vice Chairman and Group CEO, Faisal Yaqoub Boodai as Chairman, and Fawaz Yaqoub Boodai as Executive Board Member/GM since 2023 — alongside professional executives including Group CFO Amgad Fikry Kamel and Group Deputy CEO Peter Gabra (also MD of Trolley KSA). Q1 2026 total revenue of KWD 25.9 million grew 29.3% year-on-year, with the KSA business growing 67% YoY and 11% like-for-like sales growth in the existing store base.

Name

Trolley General Trading Company

Legal name

Trolley General Trading Company K.S.C.C.

Website

https://trolley.com.kw

Company type

Public

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Ipo

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Trolley General Trading Company is a Kuwait-based convenience-led grocery retailer operating 249 stores across Kuwait and Saudi Arabia under the Trolley and Baqala Bodega brands, serving individual consumers through high-traffic fuel stations, residential neighborhoods, and universities via owned retail, channel partnerships, and a digital loyalty platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convenience Retail

NAICS

Convenience Retailers and Vending Machine Operators (44513), Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451)

SIC

Retail-Convenience Stores (5412)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban/Transit Convenience Stores (Station/Airport/Metro) (CRAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Travel & Transit Value Convenience (Fuel-Adjoining, Stations, Airports) (CRAEAJAC)

Keywords

• Convenience retail stores
• Grocery retail
• Fuel station retail
• Neighborhood convenience
• Retail loyalty program

Headquarters

HQ city

Sharq Hawalli

HQ country

Kuwait

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Core retail revenue from convenience store sales of snacks, beverages, essential everyday items, hot and fresh items. Revenue reached KWD 23.5 million in Q1 2026, up 26% year-on-year.
2. Shop-in-Shop Rental Income: Rental income from shop-in-shop spaces within stores. Rental revenue increased to KWD 2.1 million in Q1 2026, up 107.6% year-on-year. Includes processing fees from sublease agreements.
3. Digital & Online Sales: Online and app-based sales channel. Online sales reached KWD 1.3 million during Q1 2026, up 5.4% year-on-year. Digital channels support customer engagement and overall sales performance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trolley General Trading Company operates a convenience-led grocery retail platform through two complementary store formats—Trolley (premium convenience) and Baqala Bodega (neighborhood convenience)—selling snacks, beverages, hot and fresh items, and everyday essentials at 249 stores across Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The company also generates revenue through shop-in-shop rental spaces within its stores and a digital channel comprising a mobile app, online sales, and a loyalty program with 339,000 registered customers.

Product overview

Trolley General Trading Company operates a convenience-led grocery retail platform consisting of two complementary store formats: Trolley, its flagship premium convenience format, and Baqala Bodega, its neighborhood convenience format. The company generates revenue through retail sales, shop-in-shop rental income, digital channels including app-based sales and loyalty programs. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Kuwait City, Trolley operates 249 stores across Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as of March 2026, with strategic expansion underway.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Baqala Bodega: Neighborhood convenience format designed to address a large and historically fragmented retail segment, offering more efficient capital requirements and greater operational flexibility.

Products and services

• Trolley Convenience Store Format Trolley's flagship premium convenience store format offering a wide range of snacks, beverages, hot and fresh items, and essential everyday items in high-traffic locations including gas stations, residential areas, and universities, targeted at everyday consumers in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia seeking quick, convenient shopping.
• Baqala Bodega Neighborhood Convenience Format Neighborhood convenience format designed to address the large and historically fragmented retail segment, offering more efficient capital requirements and greater operational flexibility aligned with the needs of residential communities in Kuwait.
• Trolley Mobile App and Online Sales Channel Digital sales channel comprising a mobile application and website for online ordering, supported by the Trolley Loyalty program with 339,000 registered customers and 100,000+ active app users; online sales reached KWD 1.3 million in Q1 2026.
• Shop-in-Shop Rental Spaces Sublease rental model offering upfront processing fees and recurring rental income from shop-in-shop spaces within Trolley stores, generating KWD 2.1 million in revenue in Q1 2026 (up 107.6% year-on-year).

Quantifiable outcome

• 29.3% YoY revenue growth to KWD 25.9 million in Q1 2026
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AldreescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 31 December 2025Strategic MoU with Aldrees, one of Saudi Arabia's leading fuel station operators, to develop in-station services across more than 1,300 fuel stations across the Kingdom. Partnership aims to enhance customer experience by introducing smarter retail concepts and more thoughtful convenience for customers on the move.
• Tas'helat Marketing CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 October 2025Strategic partnership with Tas'helat Marketing (joint venture between Aramco and TotalEnergies) covering Sahl, TotalEnergies, and Aramco fuel station brands. Partnership enables opening of new Trolley stores across service stations in Saudi Arabia, with gradual rollout starting October 2025 serving various neighborhoods across Riyadh. Trolley has already achieved remarkable growth with 57+ stores in Riyadh through this partnership.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Al Meera Holding: Qatar's largest grocery retail chain with a mix of hypermarkets and convenience formats. Comparable as a GCC national champion in grocery and convenience retail with a similar small-format and large-format dual strategy, though operating in a different home market.
• Sultan Center (TSC): Kuwaiti-origin supermarket and convenience chain with operations across Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other GCC markets. Comparable as a regional grocery/c-store operator with overlapping customer segments and home-market presence in Kuwait.

Broad incumbents

• Carrefour (Majid Al Futtaim Retail): Majid Al Futtaim operates Carrefour across the GCC including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, including small-format Carrefour Market stores. Comparable as the dominant GCC incumbent grocery retailer with overlapping convenience-format strategy.
• Panda Retail (Savola Group): Saudi Arabia's largest supermarket chain operated by Savola Group, recently acquired by Alhokair. Comparable as a large-scale Saudi grocery retailer with overlapping customer base and ongoing small-format expansion.
• 7-Eleven (Kuwait franchisee): Global convenience leader with franchise-operated stores in Kuwait. Comparable as a direct convenience-store competitor in Trolley's home market, though lacking Trolley's Saudi Arabia fuel-station partnership advantage.

Direct peers

• Lulu Group International: UAE-headquartered hypermarket and supermarket operator with extensive GCC footprint including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Comparable as a regional multi-format grocery retailer serving the same customer base with overlapping convenience and fresh-food offerings.
• Bin Dawood Holdings: Major Saudi grocery and convenience retailer operating supermarkets and Danube Express small-format stores. Most directly comparable to Trolley as a Saudi-based multi-format grocery/c-store operator expanding in similar locations and customer segments.
• Tamimi Markets (Al Tamimi): Saudi Arabia-based supermarket chain operated by Tamimi Group with nationwide stores. Comparable as a directly competing Saudi grocery retailer targeting similar household and convenience shopping missions.

Emerging players

• SPAR International: Global convenience and grocery franchise with growing presence across the MENA region. Comparable as an emerging format partner/franchise operator in GCC convenience retail, though with smaller scale and brand recognition than Trolley.

Others

• Aldrees Group: Saudi Arabia's largest fuel station operator and Trolley's strategic partner. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant (fuel retail plus in-station convenience) and a key counterparty for Trolley's Saudi expansion, though not a direct retail competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trolley General Trading Company