LuLu Hypermarket, the largest retail chain in the region and the flagship enterprise of LuLu Group, is celebrating 75 years of India-Saudi bilateral relations with a promotion on Indian goods.
The “India-Saudi Utsav” was inaugurated on Sunday at LuLu Hypermarket in Riyadh Avenue Mall by Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, the ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia. Sayeed was accompanied by Shehim Mohammed, director of LuLu Saudi Hypermarkets and other LuLu Group officials.
“I am delighted to inaugurate this showcase of Indian products ranging from vital food grains that are such an integral part of the Arab table to fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood from India,” said Ambassador Sayeed. “The LuLu Group and LuLu Hypermarket represent a valuable bridge between India and the Kingdom and this is an excellent opportunity to highlight the range and variety of Indian products to shoppers. It’s been 75 years of India-Saudi diplomatic relationship, and the India-Saudi Utsav has been launched in partnership with LuLu. A wide range of new Indian products has also been launched at the festival. We congratulate LuLu Group, especially Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group Yusuf Ali M.A. for very meticulously carving a name for India in the food market.”
The festival, which is taking place in all the LuLu Hypermarkets across the Kingdom, also includes attractive deals on lifestyle and electronics goods. New products launched at the event include dragon fruit from India and goods from popular Indian brands such as Gramiya, NutriOrg, Hugo, Reitzal, Milky Fresh, Bikaji and D-Alive.
The Saudi Wedding Expo, running alongside the festival, is another highlight of the event. A wide range of Indian fabrics as well as traditional jalabiyas and abayas are on offer until Aug. 21.
Moreover, Sayeed launched two quiz programs through Madhyamam Daily for expatriates in the Kingdom and LuLu’s official Twitter handle for Saudi residents.
The LuLu Group imports more than 35 billion Indian rupees ($471.6 million) worth of Indian products annually and this is expected to go up in the months ahead. The group is also one of the biggest employers of Indians, hiring nearly 29,000 of its staff from the country.
Director of LuLu Saudi Hypermarkets Mohammed said that the “India-Saudi Utsav” is a tribute to the group’s strong ties with the subcontinent. “During the last two years, the number of Indian products we’ve launched is far more in comparison to what we’ve done over the previous five years. This shows the current incumbency and efficiency of the team in bringing more products from India and popularizing it in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
