Satyendra Pathak
Doha
Hypermarket giant LuLu Group is all set to open four new hypermarkets in Qatar in 2021, the Group’s director has said.
Talking to Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of an event in Doha recently, Lulu Group International Director Mohamed Althaf said that the Group will open at least four new branches in Qatar in 2021 to expand its presence in the country.
"Construction work on all our upcoming branches in areas including Maider and Ain Khalid is going on. I am quite hopeful that the new hypermarkets will be operational next year,” Althaf said.
"We are also in the process of opening more branches and offer more services before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the country. Qatar has always been a very good market for us. With all the developments taking place in the country, Qatar has become a hotspot for many of the global players. So we are expanding our footprint, deepening our relationship and further developing our infrastructure in the country,” Althaf said.
"Logistically speaking, we are building food security warehouses in Qatar now. We have taken up a place from Manateq in Wukair to build deep storage to keep essential products. We are also in the process of setting up a first-of-its-kind fulfilment centre exclusively for e-commerce in Qatar. It will ensure that all essential items are delivered in the country without any disturbance,” he said.
"We have also entered into a partnership with almost 40 local companies to localise production of many lulu brand of products. These companies will manufacture many of our products in Qatar that were earlier manufactured in other countries,” Althaf said.
All these initiatives, Althaf said, are aimed at ensuring that all essential food products are available in Qatar despite any possible disturbance in the supply chain.
Praising Qatar for extending support to the country’s private sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, Althaf said, "Qatar as the country remained resilient and very supportive to the private sector. The country faced the crisis very well. We are very happy that we also played a small role in supporting the country in overcoming the crisis. Despite the pandemic, we kept all our supply chain intact. We never allowed the prices to go up. We also helped in servicing the community whenever it was needed. For example, when there was a lockdown in the Industrial Area, within 24 hours we set up pop-up stores to cater to people there. We also ensured fast delivery of essential items to such areas.”
Althaf also revealed that Lulu’s international export distribution centre will be operational in Milan next year.
"Infrastructure for the distribution centre is ready. We were scheduled to open it in 2020, but the opening got extended due to COVID-19. I am quite hopeful that it will be operational by April next year,” he said.
"We expect a huge increase in bilateral trade between Qatar and Italy once the distribution centre is operational. There are many companies in Italy that want to export. The facility
would provide small businesses in Italy access to international markets like Qatar,” Althaf said.
Doha
Hypermarket giant LuLu Group is all set to open four new hypermarkets in Qatar in 2021, the Group’s director has said.
Talking to Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of an event in Doha recently, Lulu Group International Director Mohamed Althaf said that the Group will open at least four new branches in Qatar in 2021 to expand its presence in the country.
"Construction work on all our upcoming branches in areas including Maider and Ain Khalid is going on. I am quite hopeful that the new hypermarkets will be operational next year,” Althaf said.
"We are also in the process of opening more branches and offer more services before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the country. Qatar has always been a very good market for us. With all the developments taking place in the country, Qatar has become a hotspot for many of the global players. So we are expanding our footprint, deepening our relationship and further developing our infrastructure in the country,” Althaf said.
"Logistically speaking, we are building food security warehouses in Qatar now. We have taken up a place from Manateq in Wukair to build deep storage to keep essential products. We are also in the process of setting up a first-of-its-kind fulfilment centre exclusively for e-commerce in Qatar. It will ensure that all essential items are delivered in the country without any disturbance,” he said.
"We have also entered into a partnership with almost 40 local companies to localise production of many lulu brand of products. These companies will manufacture many of our products in Qatar that were earlier manufactured in other countries,” Althaf said.
All these initiatives, Althaf said, are aimed at ensuring that all essential food products are available in Qatar despite any possible disturbance in the supply chain.
Praising Qatar for extending support to the country’s private sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, Althaf said, "Qatar as the country remained resilient and very supportive to the private sector. The country faced the crisis very well. We are very happy that we also played a small role in supporting the country in overcoming the crisis. Despite the pandemic, we kept all our supply chain intact. We never allowed the prices to go up. We also helped in servicing the community whenever it was needed. For example, when there was a lockdown in the Industrial Area, within 24 hours we set up pop-up stores to cater to people there. We also ensured fast delivery of essential items to such areas.”
Althaf also revealed that Lulu’s international export distribution centre will be operational in Milan next year.
"Infrastructure for the distribution centre is ready. We were scheduled to open it in 2020, but the opening got extended due to COVID-19. I am quite hopeful that it will be operational by April next year,” he said.
"We expect a huge increase in bilateral trade between Qatar and Italy once the distribution centre is operational. There are many companies in Italy that want to export. The facility
would provide small businesses in Italy access to international markets like Qatar,” Althaf said.