ALKHOBAR: Lulu Hypermarket, which has tasted phenomenal success across Saudi Arabia, is planning further expansion by opening retail outlets in many other cities.
Emke Group operates Lulu Hypermarket, considered to be one of the most popular retail chains in the Middle East. Lulu caters to over 420,0000 customers every day and enjoys over 42 percent of the total retail market share in the GCC. With the opening of the upcoming projects, Emke Group's market share is set to increase substantially.
With its annual turnover of $4.1 billion, Lulu is ranked one of the biggest Indian-owned groups in the Middle East. It employs more than 26,900 people from nearly 30 countries.
Lulu opened its first Saudi hypermarket in Alkhobar in 2009, the group's 76th hypermarket. The second Lulu venture in the Kingdom was the opening of the Lulu Shopping Center in Riyadh's Rabwah district at Ext. 14. The third launch was at Riyadh Avenue Mall in the capital's Murabbah district.
Riyadh Avenue also houses many international brands of restaurants, food courts, jewelry showrooms and coffee shops. This is the first shopping mall in Saudi Arabia having an area of more than one million square feet. The mall boasts a parking area for more than 1,200 cars.
Lulu Hypermarket with more than 210,000 sq. feet of shopping space is the main anchor store and is expected to become a major player in Saudi Arabia's retail sector too. The group is already working on new projects in other parts of the Kingdom. The hypermarket will showcase a fresh food section comprising fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat, fish, and hot and cold ready-to-eat food.
It also has a huge area dedicated to department store items such as electronics, IT products, home appliances, sports, stationery, furnishing and furniture, and fashion brands for women, men and kids.
Lulu's professionally trained staff ensures a hassle-free shopping experience. Lulu Hypermarket features the widest choice of world-class brands at fairest prices and also offers a whole world of shopping with a good selection of brands and product lines less than one roof. Lulu's winning formula of value-for-money quality shopping is a matter of delight of the Kingdom's residents who will cherish the pleasurable shopping experience and the economy it offers.
Lulu conducted some sales campaigns that caught the attention of customers. Lulu Alkhobar conducted the Saudi Agro Fresh Fest in association with the Ministry of Agriculture to promote locally grown fruit and vegetables, which proved to be more beneficial to local farmers. As part of its continuous promotional activities, it organized festivals of food, mango, dates, etc., which were visited by a large number of residents.
As part of Saudi Arabia's National Day celebration, Lulu organized a blood donation campaign in association with the Central Blood Bank Riyadh. In the Beauty 2011, Lulu conducted a free dental medical camp in association with leading medical centers in Riyadh and Dammam.
Yusuffali M.A. is the driving force behind the success of Lulu. He ranks among top NRI business personalities. Emke Group's operational bases extend over the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Benin and Tanzania, aside from Saudi Arabia.
In recognition of his remarkable achievements in business and industry, and his distinguished service in the field of social work, the president of India conferred on him Padma Shri, a top and prestigious civilian award in 2008.
Taking into consideration his valuable contribution in the service of overseas Indians and his outstanding achievements in business, he has been conferred with the "Pravasi Bharatiya Samman," the highest award given annually to non-resident Indians.
He is an elected member of the board of directors of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) and is also vice chairman of the trade committee of the ADCCI. He has been honored with a lot of international awards in business and social work. Recently, Arabian Business Magazine elected him as the Top Influential Indian in the GCC.
Lulu, which has an aggressive expansion plan across Saudi Arabia, has already opened three grand projects and has some other major ones in the pipeline.
Speaking to media persons after the inauguration of the grand project at Avenue Mall in Riyadh, Yusuffali M.A., Lulu Hypermarket's managing director, said: "We are clear in our approach to expansion, which began three years ago, and we have a target of reaching 100 stores. We are firmly on the right track to achieve that. I am very confident about the economic situation in Saudi Arabia and have full trust in the vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. We are fully committed to march forward."
"Lulu is providing job opportunities to local youth, which is one of our core areas, and it will continue to recruit more nationals into their operations in different categories, from frontline sales staff to technical and managerial positions. In future expansions across the Kingdom, Lulu will provide more opportunities for local unemployed youth," said Abdul Basheer and Shehim Mohammed Unni, regional directors of Lulu's Saudi operations.
Lulu is planning a wide range of expansion plans in the Kingdom, emphasized Lulu's Regional Director Abdul Basheer. "We are planning four more projects -- in Dammam, Jubail and Al-Hasa. In Riyadh region, we are starting our projects in Riyadh, Qassim and Hail. In Jeddah region, we hope to start four projects -- in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah," Basheer added. "We are conducting a lot of programs in Riyadh and Alkhobar, at festivals such as food, mango and dates, and a Philippine festival. In Lulu Alkhobar, we conducted a Saudi Agro Fresh Fest in association with the Ministry of Agriculture, which was an attractive promotion for locally grown fruits and vegetable. We celebrated the Saudi National Day with a campaign named 'Our Nation Our Pride. This was a promotion for Saudi made products," Basheer said.
"We are focusing on an enjoyable shopping experience for our customers. Each of our departments is of equal importance and will pay individual attention to customers, something not seen in any other hypermarket in the Kingdom," said Basheer.
© Arab News 2011
