Lulu opens new hypermarket in Ruwi

BUSINESS REPORTER - MUSCAT, MARCH 15 - Moving ahead with its expansion plans, defying the economic downturn, leading retailer LuLu opened its newest store in Ruwi, the bustling commercial hub and the main business area of Muscat, located at the capital of Oman. The new store is the 27th branch in Oman, which has increased LuLu’s store count to 203 globally. The new branch was officially launched in the presence of LuLu officials. Yusuff Ali M A, Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group, along with the senior management team attended the event on a virtual platform. The new store is set up in two levels in an area of 50,000 sq feet, featuring different categories that include the fresh food department with fruits and vegetables section, fish, meat and dairy products counter, hot food section, baked goods counter, and supermarket division. It is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for customers looking for an extensive range of electronics and home appliances, garden furniture, homeware, toys and entertainment, baby care and personal care products, leisure items, clothes, and accessories. Expressing his joy on the launch of the Ruwi branch, Yusuff Ali M A, Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group, said: “Despite the retail gloom, we are happy to have weathered the crisis sooner than predicted, thanks to the country’s implementation of robust economic policies under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. We are on track with our expansion plans, and the launch of our 27th store in Oman is a clear indication of the success in all our strategies to always stay ahead of the curve.” “The hypermarket will also offer the much-needed source of employment to the Omani youth. LuLu Group has always been firm in its commitment to boost national talent and empower local talents wherever we operate. We believe that having a strong national workforce is vital to our long-term success as it helps in further boosting the economy,” he added. The store will offer customers access to an extensive choice of premium and locally sourced products. The Group has its own sourcing centres that ensure customers get only the high quality products at the most affordable prices, which are sourced through direct imports from partner companies. Ananth A V, Director —Oman, Sri Lanka and India of LuLu Group, stated: “We plan to continue to build new stores in Oman, ramp up our hiring efforts and expand our network to reach even more customers in the years ahead. We keep in mind several factors while choosing the location for our new stores, including proximity to our shoppers and the ability to support a high daily traffic volume. We want our stores to be conveniently located for our customers and this location is a perfect fit.” Shabeer K A, Regional Director, Oman, said: “This launch represents an important milestone in our mission to deliver outstanding quality products at the lowest prices possible. We are looking forward to establishing new and stronger relationships with all our customers who are with us in every step of our journey. We take our commitment to serving communities very seriously, and opening new stores enables us to reach, serve and support new customers across the country.” Since the launch of its first store in the Sultanate in 2005, LuLu has come a long way and has firmly established itself as the most preferred retail destination for both locals and the large expatriate community residing in the country.