About ALCO
From a single Burao storefront to five branches across Somaliland — this is the story, the leadership, and the teams who keep it running.
Our History
A steady expansion driven by trust rather than shortcuts.
Idris Odawa opened the first ALCO store in Burao in 1999 with a simple bet: if you sell people appliances that actually hold up, and you're honest with them about price, they'll keep coming back — and they'll send their neighbours too. That bet paid off slowly, one household at a time, long before "ALCO" meant much beyond that one shop.
Today the company runs two stores in Burao, one in Hargeisa, one in Wajaale, and an administrative office in Hargeisa that ties the logistics and customer service together across all five. The range has grown — more brands, more categories, better sourcing relationships — but the reasoning behind each addition hasn't changed much from 1999: stock what lasts, price it fairly, and be around when a customer needs help after the sale.
ALCO opened its doors in the big market of burao with a simple aim: bring reliable, well-made kitchen and home appliances to Somaliland households at a fair price.
As demand grew beyond what a single shop could hold, ALCO moved from local resale into direct importing — building relationships with manufacturers to secure consistent quality and better pricing for customers.
A second Hargeisa location opened opposite Old Muse Jama Mosque, followed by two branches in Burao, extending ALCO's reach and cutting travel time for customers outside the capital.
The Wajaale branch opened to serve one of Somaliland's busiest trade corridors, putting ALCO's full product range within reach of communities near the border.
ALCO now operates five branches across Somaliland, distributing thousands of household products while holding every location to the same standard of quality and service the first store was built on.
Leadership
The people setting direction for ALCO's operations, supply chain, and growth.
Sets ALCO's overall strategy, leads manufacturer and supplier partnerships, approves new branch openings, and represents the company in trade and community relationships across Somaliland.
View profileArag XogtaRuns day-to-day operations across all five branches, coordinates inter-branch logistics and stock transfers, and manages staffing and performance for the branch manager team.
View profileArag XogtaLeads sourcing and negotiation with international manufacturers, oversees quality control on incoming shipments, and supports the sales team with product and customer inquiries.
View profileArag XogtaOversees financial planning and reporting, sets pricing strategy across product lines, and manages long-term investment decisions that support ALCO's branch expansion.
View profileArag XogtaCEO
The founders whose original vision still shapes how ALCO operates today.
Founded ALCO with a commitment to quality and fair pricing that still guides the business.
On The Ground
The team leading each ALCO location day to day.
