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LuLu Hypermarkets’ “Proudly South African” festival was officially inaugurated on Sept. 10 at its Atyaf Mall branch in Riyadh, showcasing a vibrant blend of flavors, culture, and commerce. The event was attended by South African Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Mpho Parks Tau, along with government officials and LuLu management.

The festival highlights the strong bonds of friendship and trade between �������� and South Africa. This year’s celebration presents an impressive lineup of 328 varieties of products from 40 renowned South African brands, offering Saudi shoppers access to premium items ranging from fresh fruits and vegetables to essential groceries and specialty products. Customers will also discover popular South African brands such as Lancewood, Willow Creek, Westfalia, Robertsons, Nando’s, Cape Herb and Spice, and many more.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mohamed Haris Puthiyaveettil, director of LuLu Hypermarkets ��������, expressed his delight at hosting the festival: “This event is not just a celebration of flavors and products; it is a celebration of friendship, trade, and cultural connection between two strong nations — the Kingdom of �������� and the Republic of South Africa.”

Reflecting on LuLu’s history of hosting South African events, Haris recalled the “Proudly South African” food festival held in Jeddah in 2022, which was inaugurated by President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa and attended by ��������’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, among other dignitaries. “That remarkable day was a recognition of LuLu’s role in promoting South African goods globally and strengthening commercial ties between our nations,” he said.

Since then, LuLu has worked consistently to expand the presence of South African products across its stores. Notably, South African meat, which was introduced after the president’s visit, has now become one of the most trusted and sought-after items among LuLu shoppers.

The South African festival is a continuation of this commitment, showcasing not only a greater variety of products but also the quality, authenticity, and excellence that South African brands represent.

The festival offers shoppers a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy the richness of South African offerings, showcasing authentic products and cultural experiences in a vibrant setting.

Puma brought its world-leading running innovation to the Middle East for the first time with the Nitro Lab Testing experience in Dubai, hosted at the SIRO One Za’abeel hotel. The exclusive activation allowed select athletes, both global and regional, to put the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, Puma’s fastest race-day shoe yet, through a live, data-driven trial. 

The three-day experience transformed the venue into a state-of-the-art biomechanics lab, complete with 3D motion capture, force-instrumented treadmills, metabolic testing, and pressure-sensing insoles. Each athlete arrived fasted, warmed up, and then completed repeated five-minute running intervals in the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 and a competitor race shoe of their choice, with equal rest periods in between. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide output were tracked to calculate running economy — essentially how efficiently the body used energy at a fixed pace. Within 15 minutes of finishing, participants were shown real-time data comparing both shoes, offering measurable proof of efficiency gains.

led by biomechanics expert Wouter Hoogkamer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has demonstrated that the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 improves running economy by 3.15 percent. For a three-hour marathon runner, this translates to a time saving of more than four and a half minutes — a game-changing edge on race day. 

The shoe achieves these results through deliberate engineering: it is 95 grams lighter than its predecessor, built with Puma’s NitroFoam Elite midsole for enhanced cushioning and responsiveness, a PWRPlate carbon plate for propulsion, and an Ultraweave upper with Pumagrip outsole for lightweight comfort and multi-surface traction. 

Maximilian Grüttner, team head of performance concepts — innovation for footwear and apparel at Puma headquarters in Herzo, described running economy as the foundation of performance testing. He said: “Just as a car becomes more efficient when it consumes less fuel, runners benefit when they require less oxygen to maintain speed.” That, he said, is what makes the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 stand out — “its ability to help athletes run the same pace with less effort, ultimately translating into faster times.” 

Laura Healey, senior manager of research and insights at Puma Running in Boston, said the development process was guided by both science and athlete data. “We combined computer simulations with feedback from over 75 runners to refine every detail of the shoe.” The result, she added, is a foam midsole that “stays responsive from the first stride to the last, maintaining energy return across the full marathon distance.” 

“Creating a good shoe is straightforward, but crafting a truly great one meant balancing weight, propulsion, and durability — and the testing proves we achieved that,” Healey said.

Among the regional athletes who tested the shoe was the Saudi athlete Aziz Ibrahim. Reflecting on his results, he said: “At first, I was unsure how stable the shoe would feel, but once I started running it felt incredibly light and fast. Each stride gave me an extra push forward, and I finished the session feeling fresher and stronger. The data showed that the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 improved my running economy by 3.08 percent — which could mean cutting nearly six minutes from a marathon, two minutes from a half marathon, or close to a minute from a 10K. With its cushioning, carbon plate, and proven efficiency gains, this is a race shoe I can rely on.” 

Johan Kuhlo, managing director Puma Middle East, said: “The Nitro Lab’s debut in the Middle East was a key moment to bring our innovation closer to athletes in the region. Runners here are part of one of the world’s most exciting and fastest-growing communities, and it was important for us to showcase the science behind the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3. The experience allowed them not just to try the shoe but to understand the performance data driving it. Unveiling the new colorway here first reflects both our focus on innovation and our long-term investment in the region.”

The Dubai Nitro Lab marked the platform’s first appearance in the Middle East after activations in four other global locations. Its arrival highlights the region’s growing appetite for performance sport and marathon running. “Dubai is a hub for running communities from around the world,” added Grüttner. “It’s the perfect place to prove, with hard data, that our innovation performs better than competitors.” 

The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 are available now at Puma UAE retail stores, online in �������� and the UAE, and selected GO Sport retail stores.