JEDDAH, 22 January 2006 — In a rare case, a commercial venture is collaborating with a charitable organization, which ensures continuous financial support for charity work.

The commercial venture is Savola Group’s University Plaza Center, a most modern shopping mall at the King Abdul Aziz University roundabout, and the charitable organization is Disabled Children Association (DCA).

The SR135 million mall stands on 40,000 sq m area on a land leased from the DCA. The mall has rented 22,000 sq m to major outlets and 11,000 sq m to Hyper Panda, a hypermarket owned by Savola Group.

Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism and chairman of DCA, formally cut the ribbon last night to mark the opening of the mall in the presence of Mayor Adel Faqeeh, who is also chairman of the Savola Group and the group’s Managing Director Dr. Abdulraouf M. Mannaa and Real Estate Division President Abdul Malik Fathadeen.

“This is one of the landmark projects that shoppers will patronize due to its collaboration with the DCA,” Prince Sultan said. The organization will have a regular income from the land that is leased to the group.

The prince also opened a Fun Studio for children and a Jarir Bookstore outlet on the premises. The mall has 93 outlets of major companies.

The Hyper Panda has 35 cash registers and 500 employees, 200 of them Saudi. 1100 cars can be parked in the parking area, aside from a large prayer area.

Besides, there is a food court, with Albaik, Subway, Hardee’s, KFC and House of Donuts. “What we’ve achieved reflects the kind of ‘true business cooperation’ that we rely on in the group’s strategy. It represents mutual benefits for the two organizations,” Manna said.

“The project exemplifies how a strategic planning system can work for the cause of social welfare,” Fathadeen said.

The mall, which attracted a large number of shoppers, has some major outlets like Giordano, Showtime, Bossini, Swatch, Newtone Collection and Carlo Rino.

The Savola Group is one of the leading companies, which supplies the Kingdom, Middle East and North Africa with edible oils, sugar, and fresh dairy products.

On the retail front, Savola Group operates Azizia Panda United, which is considered to be the leading grocery food retail chain in the Middle East. The retail chain operates over 50 stores across the Kingdom and claims to be the only of its kind represented in all major cities.