Bhubaneswar: Lulu Group, a leading Middle Eastern retail and shopping mall operator, has signed an agreement with Highland Group at Gulfood 2025 in Dubai to expand its food sourcing operations in Odisha. The pact was formalized by Lulu Group COO Saleem VI and Highland Group MD Pratik Jena, in the presence of Lulu Group chairman Yusuffali MA and CEO Saifee Rupawala, reports The New Indian Express.
With 257 hypermarkets and supermarkets across the Middle East, Lulu Group serves over 650,000 customers daily and generates an annual turnover exceeding $8 billion. The company plans to source high-quality fruits, vegetables, rice, and seafood from Odisha for its stores in the region and India. A Lulu Group delegation will visit Odisha to assess production facilities and initiate sourcing operations.
Additionally, Lulu Group is exploring opportunities to establish shopping malls and hypermarkets in Odisha, bolstering its presence in India. Highland Group, established in 2018, operates 60 acres of shrimp farms and aims to expand to 200 acres. The company has achieved significant milestones, including 7,000 tonnes of shrimp feed sales and 4,320 tonnes of frozen shrimp exports within six months of EIA approval.
Highland Group chairman Rabindra Jena emphasized the state’s potential to supply export-quality food items and expressed commitment to collaborating with Lulu Group to drive economic growth, particularly in agriculture. The company, with expertise in aquaculture and seafood processing, exports premium-quality seafood to markets like the USA, EU, GCC, Japan, and ASEAN countries.