Lulu championing convenience and experience

In a first-of-its-kind move, recently Lulu Hypermarket has tied up with Zomato for delivery of hot food, beverages, salads and desserts across Abu Dhabi. The plan is to add a newer range of menu items for delivery. Also, roll out the service across the UAE in a month. Besides, Lulu Hypermarket offers doorstep delivery for orders placed online, offering consumers a convenient way to shop.

On the other hand, Lulu Hypermarkets are also becoming more and more experiential. There is a dine-in facility at the recently opened Lulu Hypermarket in Festival Plaza. Shoppers can now order, customise and eat freshly prepared food from the live stations at Lulu Hypermarket, offering fresh sushi, pasta, pizza alongside a broad range of organic, gluten-free, low-fat options. 

“We have been quick to adapt to and introduce changes in our business to remain ahead of the curve,” says V. Nandakumar, chief communications officer, Lulu Group International. “As such, we are continuously strengthening our presence across channels – online and offline. In doing so, experience and convenience play key roles. Experience is critical, especially in-store where product range and engagement are pivotal, as big-ticket purchases still happen in stores – particularly in this region. Merely being a reseller of products, thus, isn’t enough anymore; hence, the decision to add new features like the deli counters offering freshly made food with a dine-in facility. Now, our consumers can not only buy but grill and eat fish at the Lulu Hypermarket; they can add toppings of their choice in pizzas. It also helps us to maximise the available space, thereby transforming navigation, bringing fresh offers towards the front.” 

Online, on the other hand, is about convenience and promotions-driven. “Having that said, we offer almost similar experience online as in-store for fresh food products. To do so, we have deployed a custom-built fleet of in-house delivery vehicles to maintain varying ambient temperature, ensuring freshness even when delivering to a doorstep,” Nandakumar emphasises. 

Lulu has also seen tremendous growth in its private-label business. “From a negligible contributor to our product range and business, it has grown by 300% over the last decade,” Nandakumar confirms. “Each year, we add at least 10-15 new product categories under our private label business. We have built a viable replacement of almost all key product ranges – including food and non-food items. While pricing is competitive, quality is high and packaging excellent.” 

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Rupkatha B