Lulu brings world-class shopping to holy city of Madinah

1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3
Short Url
Updated 13 February 2025
Follow

Lulu brings world-class shopping to holy city of Madinah

Lulu Retail, a leading hypermarket chain in the Middle East, has expanded its presence in Saudi Arabia with the opening of its latest express store in Madinah.

This expansion aligns with Lulu's commitment to providing world-class shopping experiences to residents and visitors while supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative for economic growth and job creation.

Mazen bin Ibrahim Rajab, chairman of the Madinah Chamber of Commerce, inaugurated the new Lulu express store in the presence of Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, consul general of India in Jeddah, Yusuffali M.A., chairman of Lulu Group, along with other dignitaries.

The new Lulu store, developed in partnership with Al Manakha Urban Project Development Company, spans a retail space of 23,000 square feet.

The store is designed to offer a modern shopping experience, catering to the diverse needs of customers with a well-curated selection of daily need essentials, fresh food, and departmental offerings similar to Lulu’s Jabal Omar store in Makkah.

Officials from Jabal Omar Development Company and Al Manakha Urban Project Development Company expressed their confidence in Lulu store’s role in enhancing the success of these prestigious shopping mall projects.

As a leading retail entity in the region, Lulu continues to redefine the shopping experience by bringing quality, variety, and affordability under one roof.

On this occasion, Yusuffali expressed his profound joy in expanding Lulu’s footprint in the holy cities.

“To contribute to the development of amenities in Makkah and Madinah has been a long-cherished dream of mine. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Saudi Arabian government for their unwavering support. The Lulu remains committed to delivering a world-class retail experience while generating employment opportunities for Saudi citizens,” he said.

Lulu is planning significant expansion across Saudi Arabia, with three additional major projects already in the pipeline for Madinah, he added.

Suri said that the opening of the new Lulu store will mark a pivotal role in advancing the regional development of Saudi Arabia.

He also praised Lulu's efforts in extending its services to pilgrims, calling them highly commendable.

The store will feature a well-designed layout inspired by the city’s cultural and architectural essence.

Customers will enjoy a spacious and easily navigable shopping environment, ensuring convenience and comfort.

The store includes    a fully stocked express store offering fresh produce, grocery essentials, and international products; a special focus on Saudi-grown products, including premium-quality Madinah dates; dedicated fresh food sections providing high-quality fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood; select departmental items, reflecting the range available at Lulu’s Jabal Omar store in Makkah.

The store will be open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight, providing extended shopping hours to accommodate the needs of both residents and visitors.

Also present on the occasion were Shehim Mohammed, director of Lulu Saudi; Rafeeq Yarathingal, business development director of Lulu; Noushad M.A., regional director of Lulu Jeddah; and other guests.


25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

Updated 27 December 2025
Follow

25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond. 

The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.

Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts. 

The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies. 

The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment. 

The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development. 

The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored. 

It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track. 

In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.

As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs. 

This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.

The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts. 

The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.