ALKHOBAR: It was the morning before Eid Al-Adha and Lulu Hypermarket was packed. Part of the Abu-Dhabi headquartered EMKE Group, the mega-market has been proving that although it’s a latecomer to the Saudi retail food business, taking on the competition has been simply a matter of coupling an excellent environment with a vast product range. The hypermarket has been open for two weeks now and there is no sign of a slowdown in business. They are offering a very limited number of promotions but the parking lot is full and the store is a multinational draw.

“This is the second time that I’ve come here,” said Martine, a Western expatriate. “I’ve come all the way from Hofuf because I am looking for low fat products for my family. Lulu has a good selection of these. In fact it has quite a large selection of all sorts of specialty groceries and ethnic foods. It’s also a very attractive place to shop with wide aisles and good displays.”

One area of the hypermarket that is always busy is the back left corner, where the prepared foods are on offer. Lulu has made it a goal to offer customers more than just the ingredients to prepare home cooked meals. The hypermarket has taken a step forward and similar to supermarkets in other geographies, they have made it so that busy people no longer have to worry about cooking at all. Oriental, Arabic and Indian cooked foods are all on offer and can be packaged and ready to take home in minutes. A vast selection of fresh salads, baked goods and sliced fruit is waiting in nearby refrigerated cases to add to the main courses. They also have dedicated staff for coconut scraping and pineapple peeling.

“With the opening of Lulu my Eid preparations have become much easier,” said Adiya Malik, who was planning an Eid barbecue. “I will buy the desserts ready made from here. I have ordered fruit plates for tomorrow, which my husband will take in the morning along with the rice. I have found all the ingredients I need to add to the lamb, which I will prepare at home, so I don’t have to go from place to place looking for things. It makes entertaining more enjoyable and the cost is reasonable — not like buying food from a restaurant.”

Martin Daly, retail operations manager, Lulu Saudi Hypermarkets L.L.C. is delighted of course to see the popularity of the innovations that they have brought to the Alkhobar hypermarket and he wants people to purchase their selections confident in the quality and safety of the food.

“All of our hot food, salad and bakery items are prepared in-store from raw ingredients with recipes custom created by our chief chef. We have our own in-house chefs, cooks, bakers and food handling staff,” he explained. “Lulu Hypermarket operates under HACCP certification, the first hypermarket organization in the GCC to have met such an international standard. Every staff member is trained in food hygiene and safety and our Dubai-based regional hygiene specialist audits the store regularly to ensure we are adhering to the company’s requirements.”

Unlike other supermarkets, Lulu takes food handling seriously throughout the entire logistics chain. All food items are received at Lulu under temperature controlled conditions, with freezers and chillers constantly monitored through networked computer systems and manual checks recorded every four hours.

“To avoid cross contamination, each type of food has its own receiving and handling areas,” said Ashraf Ali M.A., executive director, EMKE Group. “Fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, meat and dairy are all received, stored and prepared in separate areas by dedicated staff. I am particularly proud of our seafood handling. I challenge anyone to come to Lulu and try to smell the fish. Our fish is very fresh and is well packed in ice while on display, so it never smells fishy. Fish has an odor when it is old or improperly handled. Our fresh seafood operations have been constantly enhanced during our 40 years of experience as a food retailer and we now offer the best fresh seafood in the market.”

Lulu customers will have plenty to anticipate in coming months. The hypermarket is planning a cooking competition where local homemakers will be invited to cook their best dishes and win prizes. The best recipes will become part of Lulu’s cooked food offerings. There will also be a monthlong promotion targeting diabetics where Lulu’s chefs will be preparing foods that are particularly suitable for diabetic diets. The hypermarket has already received shipments of diabetic, low-fat and gluten-free foods to help those with special dietary requirements eat with enjoyment.

“We are here to serve the community,” Daly said. “Please come and see the market and try what we have on offer. If people let me know what their needs are, I will do my best to fulfill them. For requests or suggestions please contact me through my e-mail: mdaly6414@gmail.com .”