Regional retailer LuLu is hosting a Kingdom-wide “India Fest” to mark the 72nd Republic Day of India on Jan. 26. LuLu is offering a wide range of food and spices, authentic dishes, and ethnic clothing to celebrate the event along with the Kingdom’s Indian expatriate community. The festival runs until Jan. 27.
LuLu kicked off the festival in a launch event, inaugurated by Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, in the presence of Shehim Mohammed, director of LuLu Hypermarkets Saudi Arabia, government officials, and other dignitaries, at LuLu’s Murabba branch in Riyadh Avenue Mall. In Jeddah, the festival was Inaugurated by Y. Sabir, acting consul general of India, Jeddah.
Considering the COVID-19 situation, LuLu scaled down the launch event to include a smaller pool of performances and limited guest capacity and with strict observation of social distancing practices.
Ambassador Sayeed said: “Food security is an important dimension of the bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia. Even during the peak of COVID-19, the supply chains have been maintained between both countries. In this context, LuLu Group has played a very positive role in making available all Indian products, including rice, fruits and vegetables, to the Kingdom during this period. I am very pleased to note that LuLu Group is opening new outlets in different parts of the Kingdom, which is an indication of its popularity among the local population.”
For the Indian festival, LuLu has flown in more than 7,000 products in different categories, from fresh fruits and vegetables to meat, and traditional wear like sarees and churidars. Moreover, LuLu is offering a range of freshly prepared hot foods, from biryanis to curries, popular street foods, traditional sweets, and many more delicacies.
Mohammed said: “We have always taken pride in showcasing the beauty and diversity of Indian culture through a festival like this. LuLu imports goods worth SR200 million ($53.3 million) through its offices across India every year. This is our humble tribute to the glorious tradition, food and offerings of India, which have been widely popular among the Kingdom’s population comprising more than 200 nationalities. This is also our initiative to bind together all communities for a common interest, which is through food, fashion, film and tourism.”
LuLu, which has its own food processing plants and sourcing offices in India, has exerted massive efforts to introduce a new range of products, featuring organic, low-fat, gluten-free and many more diet-based food options in store that are popular with health-conscious shoppers.
