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LuLu Group: Going places

LuLu Group, the Abu Dhabi headquartered retail major, is on the fast track to consolidate its numero-uno position in the GCC market with a flurry of new launches in the coming months

LuLu, a predominantly hypermarket and supermarkets operator, currently has 121 stores across the GCC and India. The shopping mall division of the Group runs some of the best malls in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain viz., Al Wahda Mall, Khalidiyah Mall, Mushrif Mall to name a few and all these malls are anchored by the ever popular LuLu hypermarket.
"Abu Dhabi is our base and will be always our primary area of expansion. As per our plans, in Abu Dhabi alone we will have another six hypermarkets which will include Al Ain and western regions," according to Yusuff Ali MA, Managing Director of LuLu Group International.
One of the most prominent Abu Dhabi-based groups that has always kept the larger interest of the UAE as the priority; LuLu is today seen as the front-runner in implementing many "inflation curbing" initiatives. For the last seven years it has signed up an agreement with the Ministry of Economy for freezing the prices of essential commodities and also taken many steps to bring down the prices of imported products. "As I am here for more than 40 years, I know the pulse of this region very well and work according to the local demands," said Yusuff Ali. 
As a responsible corporate entity, we have always supported any pro-people steps taken by the government. In fact, in the last few years, we have established our own sourcing offices in major hubs of Asia, Far East, Africa, Europe and recently in Brazil to directly import products to eliminate "middlemen cost" and pass that benefit to the customers. We have invested in a state-of-the-art warehouse with an area of more than 2 million square feet in Abu Dhabi, where we can stock products for three months. I am also delighted to note that recent media reports have found that prices of essential food products are in fact coming down and LuLu is the most 'competitive' among all hypermarkets here," a beaming Yusuff Ali added. 
Future plans 
"We see great potential in the eastern and western regions for quality shopping centres and this is where our future focus will be. Apart from big format hypermarkets and shopping malls we also would like to take our LuLu Express brand to the interior areas and suburban communities across the UAE for UAE nationals. Our prices will be the same in all places and these stores would be quick and easy shopping destinations with a range of quality products right at your doorsteps, avoiding the hassle of long drive to big city based malls," Yusuff Ali said.
By the end of the first quarter of 2016, LuLu hypermarkets will be opening its first stores in Malaysia and Indonesia, kicking off its massive entry into the far eastern markets.
"By the grace of God and support from the Rulers of this great nation, we have reached this far, so numbers will not be our goal in future. We will be more focused on becoming a truly locally grown but international class retail brand offering some of the most fascinating retail and leisure options to the shoppers from around the world and at the same time playing our humble role in the economic development of this great nation," concluded Yusuff Ali, who is also the first non-Arab elected member of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). 
Indian operations
Currently the group operates the largest shopping mall in India, LuLu Mall in Kochi and would soon be launching in Trivandrum in Kerala. Apart from the retail business, LuLu has interests in hospitality and food processing and export business. It owns two Marriott Hotels in Kochi and will soon be launching the biggest Convention Centre and a five star hotel project in collaboration with Grand Hyatt in Bolghatty Island near Kochi. It also had a flight kitchen in Kerala and food and meat processing units in Mumbai, Delhi, UP and Kerala. 
HIGHLIGHTS

• In Abu Dhabi alone LuLu will have another six hypermarkets, which will include Al Ain and Western regions
  
• LuLu has invested in a state-of-the-art warehouse with an area of more than two million square feet in the capital city of Abu Dhabi to ensure uninterrupted supplies.
  
• The shopping mall division of the Group runs some of the best malls in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain viz., Al Wahda Mall, Khalidiyah Mall, Mushrif Mall to name a few.
  
• Was ranked among the top 10 fastest growing retailers in the world by Deloitte in 2014.
  
• Recently launched the most comprehensive online shopping portal, luluwebstore.com.