LuLu Group International
LuLu Group International is an Emirati-based multinational conglomerate company that operates a chain of hypermarkets and retail companies, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 2000 by M. A. Yusuff Ali from Nattika in Kerala, India. The Group mainly operates "Lulu Hypermarket", a chain of hypermarkets that ranks among the top grocers in many of the markets it operates in. LuLu has over 65,000 employees of various nationalities.[1][2]
Type | Limited liability company |
---|---|
Industry | Conglomerate |
Founded | 1995 |
Founder | M. A. Yusuff Ali |
Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 238 stores |
Area served | |
Key people | M. A. Yusuff Ali (Founder & Managing Director) |
Revenue | US$7.4 billion (March 2020) |
Number of employees | 57,000 |
Website |
It is one of the largest retail chains in Asia and is the biggest in the Middle East with 258 outlets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and elsewhere. In addition to Lulu Hypermarket, the group operates 13 malls in the GCC, and 5 malls in India. The group is among the world's 50 fastest growing retailers.[3][4] The group also owns the Lulu Convention Centre in Thrissur and the Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre in Mulavukad Island which is one of the largest convention centres in South Asia[5][6] The group accquired a 10-percent stake in the UK-based trading firm, East India Company, and a 40-percent stake in its fine foods subsidiary for around $85 million in total.[7] Y International is the export distribution center in the United States and Europe for LuLu Group International.[8][9]
History
LuLu Group International opened its first supermarket in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in 1995, when the retail business scenario in the region started to change with the entry of Continent (now Carrefour). Later, LuLu supermarkets expanded its operations Abu Dhabi and opened several Lulu stores in the emirate of Dubai. In the late 1990s, the LuLu Center department stores were launched, and the group expanded to other countries in the Middle East.
In 2000, the first Lulu Hypermarket store was opened in Dubai. With this launch, the group embarked on an aggressive expansion plan. It soon grew into a chain with several outlets across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen. On March 10, 2013, a LuLu Hypermarket was opened in Kochi, India.[10][11][12] LuLu group also plans to invest INR 10 billion (US$420 million) to set up an international convention centre, a five-star hotel and a mall in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.[13] The group opened the its largest mall, Lulu Mall in Thiruvananthapuram in December 2021, which was It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan along with other personalities including actor Mammootty.[14]
Operations
Middle East and India
As of July 2022, there are more than 200 LuLu Hypermarkets in the GCC, 6 in India at Kochi, Bangalore, Lucknow, Coimbatore, Trivandrum and Hyderabad,[15][16] 1 in Malaysia and 4 in Indonesia. Lulu group has 6 other operations in India, the LuLu Cyber Tower in Kochi, Kerala, LuLu fashion center in Thrissur, 2 Marriott hotels and resorts in Kochi and LuLu convention centre in Thrissur. Lulu group is heavily investing in Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Calicut and Trivandrum.
The group has started construction of new malls in Calicut, Kottayam, Tirur, Perinthalmanna and Varanasi. The group is expected to open a hypermarket in Palakkad by 2024 and has plans to construct malls in Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Prayagraj. The LuLu group is also setting up a food processing unit in Greater Noida.
International
In April 2013, LuLu Group launched operations in Birmingham with the inauguration of logistics and packaging facility under the name, Y International. The facility procures and exports food, non-food, chilled and frozen products of British origin for sale in LuLu Hypermarkets. Date coding and labelling for different countries, translation of labels, Halal and other relevant certifications are also carried out. Y International employs 60 employees and aims to create 200 jobs.[17] In May 2014, following the visit of then Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak to UAE, a memorandum of understanding between Lulu Hypermarket and the Federal Land Development Authority of Malaysia was signed for the establishment of ten Lulu Hypermarkets in Malaysia.[18][19]
Ownership
Lulu Hypermarket is owned by LuLu Group International.[27] LuLu Group International also owns Twenty14 Holdings, which owns hotels across the world.
References
- "Middle East Retailer Yusuff Ali Emerges As Billionaire". Forbes. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- "YUSUFFALI M.A."
- "LuLu Hypermarket | Supermarkets | Department Stores". india.luluhypermarket.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
- "Lulu named fastest growing retailer". Arab News. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
- Ritz Magazine
- Hyatt
- The National
- "Our Company - Y International USA". Yinternational.us.com. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
- "YInternational Uk". YInternational Uk. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
- "India's largest mall in Kochi: Lulu Mall". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
- "India's largest shopping mall in Kochi, Kerala". Yahoo News India. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
- "India's 10 biggest malls". rediff.com. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
- "LuLu group plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore in Lucknow, Real Estate News, ET RealEstate". Archived from the original on 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
- "LuLu to build India's second biggest mall for $300m in Kerala". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
- "Lulu to open 100th outlet in RAK". Emirates 24/7. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
- "LuLu to start hypermarket ops in Coimbatore this week". The Times of India. 2023-06-13. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
- "LuLu opens logistics centre in Birmingham". Trade Arabia. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
- Sarah Diaa (19 May 2014). "Lulu Hypermarket to open 10 outlets in Malaysia". Gulf News. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- "LuLu Group to open 10 Malaysia outlets". Gulf Daily News. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- "The UAE is A Regional Hub for International Companies".
- Lulu opens the biggest mall in India at Kerala
- Bahrain: First LuLu hypermarket in Manama inaugurated
- Business – First Lulu Hypermarket Opens in Saudi Arabia
- "Lulu to go ahead with KSA expansion". 29 June 2020.
- Lulu hypermarkets opens first store in Egypt - UAE - ArabianBusiness.com
- "Lulu opens its first departmental things to the very under below of the rajeev stores in champakkara with ments cutoof ad fz rpm cut in Indonesia". www.tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
- "How Adeeb Ahamed of the LuLu Group is foraying further with food, toys and fashion". The Economic Times. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.