UAE-based Lulu Group launched its first hypermarket in Chennai on October 12, opening a 1 lakh square feet store inside the Shenoy Nagar Metro Station on Chennai Metro’s Green Line. The company also inaugurated a smaller-format LuLu Daily store at Chennai Central Metro Station on the same day, marking its debut in Tamil Nadu’s capital, according to livemint.com.
The two stores were inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar and Minister Venkat Ramanan. The hypermarket at Shenoy Nagar is described by Lulu Group as India’s first and largest hypermarket located within a metro station. It features a supermarket, a department store, LuLu Fashion Store, and LuLu Connect, offering a wide range of products under one roof.
Lulu Group, founded by Kerala-born businessman MA Yusuff Ali, has been expanding its footprint in India with multiple stores across various states. The Chennai launch is significant as it integrates retail with urban transit infrastructure, providing convenience to metro commuters. This move aligns with growing trends of retail spaces in transit hubs, aiming to capture daily footfall and enhance shopper accessibility.
The Shenoy Nagar hypermarket spans approximately 1 lakh square feet, making it a landmark retail space within the Chennai Metro system. The LuLu Daily store at Chennai Central complements this by serving a smaller, quick-shopping format. Both stores represent Lulu Group’s strategic expansion in southern India’s retail market.