United Arab Emirates-headquartered Lulu Retail Group plans to extend its reach to the suburban zones of major Emirati cities, establishing new retail locations.
The initiative follows the demographic trend of residents moving away from densely populated urban centres, as reported by the Khaleez Times.
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The expansion will generate a substantial number of new employment opportunities within the UAE’s retail industry, potentially reaching thousands.
Lulu Group founder Yusuffali MA has announced plans for 15 new ventures in Dubai and the northern Emirates, stating:
“The population is growing from towns to outskirts in all the major cities of the UAE – therefore, we are exploring those areas. Whether it will be a hypermarket or an express store, it will depend on the density of the population of those areas.”
Lulu Retail CEO Saifee Rupawala highlighted that the UAE’s demographic growth presents significant expansion prospects for the group.
30 projects are being considered within the UAE and currently await final decisions.
During an interview with Khaleej Times, Rupawala said: “We are going to tier 1 and 2 cities. Depending on the demographic and density of the population, we will decide the size of Lulu outlets. We have 37 more stores coming up in Saudi Arabia. We aim to open 100 stores in the medium term by 2028 in Saudi Arabia. Our penetration is limited there as we have a presence in only 16 cities and there is immense room to grow. As a group, we have identified 31 cities over there as Vision 2030 is to have more organised retail in the country.”
Lulu has recently inaugurated new outlets in Madinah and Makkah, expanding its presence in the largest Gulf economy.
As of 30 June 2024, Lulu Group employed 55,000 full-time workers.
In mid-February 2025, the group marked its 252nd establishment in the GCC [Gulf Co-operation Council region]. The company is also preparing to launch stores in strategic locations such as Al Jaddaf, JLT, Nad Al Hammar, Dubai Expo City and Khorfakhan.
