Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Lulu Hypermarket branch in Abu Dhabi during his official tour of the UAE, ahead of the implementation of the historic free trade agreement between Australia and the UAE.

He was accompanied by Yusuff Ali Musaliam, Chairman of the Lulu Group, and inspected a wide range of premium Australian products including fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and consumer goods.

The Prime Minister invited Lulu Group to establish stores in Australia, emphasizing the need for more competition in the Australian supermarket sector. He noted that the free trade agreement will eliminate tariffs on nearly all Australian exports to the UAE and increase investments by the UAE’s sovereign wealth funds in Australia.

Yusuff Ali Musaliam expressed pride in bringing high-quality Australian products to the Middle East, recalling his first visit to Australia in 1983 when he began supplying premium Australian lamb to Lulu stores in the UAE.

Lulu Group, one of the largest retail chains in the Middle East, has established sourcing offices in Australia and plays a key role in supplying Australian food and consumer products to retailers across Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The event was attended by Ridwan Joudat, Australian Ambassador to the UAE, Dr. Fahad Obaid Mohammed Al Taffaq, UAE Ambassador to Australia, and other Lulu executives.