From the days of its first store, West Zone Fresh has always placed the emphasis on its customers, analysing demands to provide solutions in the most cost-effective way possible. This approach has helped the company create a brand synonymous in the UAE with high quality and freshness.

The company launched its inaugural store in Mirdif, Dubai, on UAE National Day, 2005, and has had the country at the heart of its operations ever since.

The trajectory of West Zone Fresh over the past 17 years has been nothing short of stratospheric. The single Mirdif store was quickly joined by many others, and before long, supermarkets were just one part of the West Zone Fresh portfolio.

Today, the billion-dollar company operates hypermarkets, malls, hotels, food and beverage outlets – and even has building contracting, real estate and fashion divisions.

With over 150 locations throughout the country, West Zone Fresh is now a household name in the UAE. The company is trusted to serve citizens, tourists and residents alike with over 500 products, including its own brands alongside local and global names in groceries, confectionary, and more.

During the recent difficulties caused by the pandemic, the company donated 50,000 meals to affected communities in the UAE, as well as illuminating 50,000 lights on the World’s Tallest Donation Box at the Burj Khalifa.

But while West Zone Fresh is forever proud to call the UAE its home, Chairman Naresh Kumar Bhawnani has ambitious global plans for the business. In the coming years, the group will continue to spread its presence further throughout the UAE, into the GCC and beyond.

But no matter how far West Zone Fresh grows from its Mirdif beginnings, Bhawnani says the company will always stay true to its focus on the three Ps – People (Customers), Power (Employees) and Price (Affordability).

LuLu opened its first supermarket in Abu Dhabi, UAE in 1995. The company pioneered the chain convenience store concept in the region, quickly opening more outlets across the emirate and neighbouring Dubai.

In 2000, Dubai would also be the location of the first LuLu Hypermarket, which would spearhead the company’s rapid expansion strategy that continues to this day. Before long, the LuLu brand was international, with stores opening across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Qatar.

Soon this network would extend beyond the Middle East with the opening of LuLu’s first hypermarket in India. This location would be joined by further international expansion, with others following in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Before long, the company gained a global reputation for high-end stores, exceptional products and dedicated customer service. Awards and recognition soon followed, further putting LuLu on the world map.

LuLu’s stores are known for their extensive ranges covering everything from groceries and household items to clothing and electronics. As well as shops and malls, the LuLu group owns many prestigious hotels in the region, including the Grand Hyatt in Kochi, India, and the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Still headquartered in Abu Dhabi, under the stewardship of founder and renowned UAE-based entrepreneur M. A. Yusuff Ali, LuLu now boasts a business portfolio ranging from hypermarket operations and shopping mall development to manufacturing, hospitality and real estate.

From its humble convenience store beginnings, LuLu has grown into a multi-national conglomerate with strategic locations across 23 countries throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the USA.

This incredible expansion has made the LuLu Group a key contributor to the Gulf region’s economic standing, delivering annual turnovers in the region of USD 8bn. On top of these impressive revenues, LuLu is well-regarded for its contribution to charitable, social and environmental causes in the Middle East and beyond.