Retail major LuLu Hypermarket Group opened its latest outlet in the UAE in Abu Dhabi at the Mushrif Mall on Airport Road.

This takes the total number of LuLu outlets in the region to 94.

The hypermarket, which was built on a total area of 230,000 sq ft, will offer a whole world of shopping convenience with popular brands of a wide variety of product lines under one roof.

The main focus area of the LuLu Hypermarket will be the extensive supermarket section with fresh vegetables, fruits, butchery and delicatessen serving hot and ready-to-eat foods and special counters serving the best of bakes and cakes and an array of Arabic sweets and delicacies apart from a wide range of electronics and IT products, white goods, fashion garments, sports equipment, stationery etc.

LuLu Hypermarket has invested heavily in special areas including, state-of-the-art storing facilities, latest baking and cooking machines etc.

Apart from this, the store has more than 30 cash counters for hassle-free shopping and has ample parking facility.

The new outlet is an eco-friendly project, features state-of-the-art logistics, refrigeration, LED lighting, cooling system and bio-degradable bags to reduce carbon footprint.

"It has been our policy always to bring world-class shopping experience closer to the people rather than making them drive long distance," said LuLu Group managing director Yusuffali MA.

"Even though there have been talks of economic slowdown in the market, we have decided to carry on with our expansion plans of reaching the figure of 100 stores by the end of 2011 and do our bit to further strengthen the regional economic scenario," he added.

He said that the LuLu Group is all set to open two new hypermarkets during the second half of this year in the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre in Abu Dhabi in the coming weeks and also in Ras Al Khaimah.

LuLu Group investments are spread all over the Gulf region, Egypt and Yemen.

Its expansion plan includes opening new hypermarkets in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain in the coming months.

Yusuffali said that the group's expansion plans were not affected by the world financial crisis as its business is relevant to the retail sector which was the least affected by the crisis.

The group has already opened around 20 branches in 2009 and 2010 inside and outside the UAE. Today LuLu group dominates with 32 per cent of the retail hypermarket sector in the Middle East. - TradeArabia News Service