LuLu opens new mall and hypermarket in Al-Ahsa

The Middle East retail giant LuLu Group opened a new shopping mall and hypermarket on Wednesday in Hofuf, Al-Ahsa.
It was officially inaugurated by Prince Badr bin Muhammed bin Jalawi, governor of Al-Ahsa province, in the presence of Adil Mohammed Al-Mulhim, mayor of Al-Ahsa, and several high-ranking officials from the private and public sectors.
Yusuff Ali M.A., chairman and managing director of LuLu Group; Saifee Rupawala, CEO; Ashraf Ali, executive director; and other senior officials of LuLu were also present at the event.
The hypermarket, which is the ninth in the Kingdom, is spread over an area of more than 300,000-square feet and will serve as a major shopping destination for Saudis and expatriates in Hofuf and its surrounding areas.
The new shopping mall also hosts H&M, Mothercare, Starbucks, Swatch, money exchange outlets, jewelry shops and a food court.
Chairman Ali said: “The plan is to open around 20 hypermarkets by 2020 in the Kingdom, with immediate ones planned for Jeddah and Tabuk. Currently, LuLu has eight hypermarkets and seven commissaries in Saudi Arabia.
“We have to expand aggressively here as the Kingdom is investing heavily in various sectors, which will surely spur all-round growth,” he said.
The opening of the newest hypermarket saw the group, which is on a vast expansion mode, anchor itself firmly in the modern, customer-centric retail landscape of the Kingdom.
More than 250 Saudi nationals work in the newly-opened LuLu hypermarket out of a total of 400 employees.
“As I mentioned earlier during the World Economic Forum, the Saudi manpower is very productive, dedicated and hardworking,” said Ali.
“We attribute our success to the policies and visionary leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the government and the people of this great country who have always given tremendous support to the business community and economic development. Ever since we set foot in the Kingdom, we have been welcomed warmly and have been supported by one and all” he added.

Source: Arab News