HiLITE Group: Creating Experiential Centres for the Community

Since their inception, HILITE Group of malls have been rated high on brand mix, architectural brilliance and footfall, and have been credited with bringing in a retail revolution in God’s own country, Kerala.

Their flagship mall, HiLITE Mall Calicut has been awarded CWAB Award for the ‘Most noteworthy project’ in the Retail category in India. With a built-up area of 12.6 lakhs sq. ft., and a leasable area of 8.1 lakh. sq. ft., it houses more than 200 local, national and international brands.

The mall is part of the integrated township project, HILITE City, comprising commercial, retail and residential spaces. Located amid lush greenery at Thondayad bypass, Calicut, the City is rated to be one of the largest mixed use development projects in the country.

Anchor stores like Nesto Hyper, Lifestyle, Shopper Stop, Max, Reliance Trends, R&B, Pantaloons, Stories and Home Centre provide a diverse range of value-driven products. HiLITE Mall has recently added some of World’s leading designer lifestyle brands like Superdry, GAS, Rare Rabbit, Nautica, Jack & Jones etc. in addition to its existing line of brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Levis, US Polo, UCB, etc., setting the tone of elegance and sophistication. The 8 Screen Multiplex – Palaxi Cinemas opened with a whole new world of shopping and entertainment.

The massive multi-cuisine food court in the mall offers incredible dining experience with options for specialty dining and quick bites. For all the coffee lovers, Starbucks has also opened its first outlet in Northern Kerala. The family entertainer has also come up with an array of options for gamers with Amoeba, Timezone, Bounce, Snow Fantasy, T6 Paintball & Go-Karting marking a real new age in leisure and entertainment.

In short, HiLITE malls are vibrant, young and happening places, which offer the best of experience in fashion, food, and entertainment for discerning shoppers.

Zeroing In On The Small Town

The HiLITE Group now has four malls including their flagship mall in Calicut. The other three are The Focus Mall in Kerala, a newly opened 8 lakh sq.ft. mall in Thrissur and a third mall which the group has taken over in Perindalmana.

“We are all set to launch Palaxi Cinema in our Thrissur mall as well as a massive gaming zone. The mall already has a LuLu hypermarket and a fully operational food court. The sales here are more than we had expected, even though a few stores are yet to open. I am sure that in another two months, it will be an even bigger attraction than what it is now,” says Muhamed Fawaz, CEO, HiLITE Urban.

Fawaz explains that Kerala is a very different market, with a lot of potential. “This potential is not visible only in major cities, but also in Tier 2 towns and beyond. It is these smaller towns that we are focused on. We see a bright future here because people have a lot of purchasing capacity but don’t have the right places to go to for shopping and entertainment,” he explains.

Evolution of Physical Retail in a Digital World

Malls remain relevant in a digital world because they offer experiences e-commerce can’t replicate—tactile product trials, social interaction, entertainment, and instant gratification. As consumer behaviours evolve, malls are transforming into lifestyle hubs that blend shopping with dining, leisure, and community engagement, making them more than just places to buy—they’re places to belong.

“Awareness comes online but purchases are still happening predominantly in offline stores. The physical retail experience still matters a lot, for sure, especially in smaller towns,” says Fawaz.

He explains that HiLITE focuses on making their malls into community centres, places where people can shop, eat, and turn to for entertainment options—all under one roof. The group also thinks differently to cater to its target audience. For example, the Calicut mall has a food court as its first level, since it is located on a very busy highway leading to Ooty. The hypermarket, in contrast, is on a higher level. The idea is to make the mall a comfortable pit stop for weary travelers.

Experience is Key

Fawaz stresses on the fact that while brands and products are important, experience is key in running a mall.

“When people think about spending a day outside the house, they should think of HiLITE malls. That’s the idea. In keeping with this, we have added a lot of activities (to the Calicut mall) aside from an FEC. There is a Snow Park, games like billiards, events. All these activities help us stay relevant in the minds of consumers.

Recently, the HiLITE Group announced its malls in Calicut and Thrissur are now operating entirely on solar power, making them India’s first mall group to run 100% on renewable energy. This pioneering green transformation marks a significant leap toward sustainable commercial infrastructure and sets a national benchmark for clean energy adoption in the retail sector.

The shift to solar power was done through collaboration with INKEL Limited, while the engineering and maintenance was executed by Eallisto Energies, an emerging player in India’s renewable energy sector known for its solar solutions. The project includes an 8MW solar power plant for HiLITE Calicut and a 3MW plant for HiLITE Thrissur.

Expansion Plans

The HiLITE Group—which has is scoping out Chemmad in Malappuram district as well as Mannarkkad in the Palakkad district—has 5-6 more malls in the pipeline, some of which are in different stages of construction.

“The Chemmad mall will be created as a neighbourhood centre and will be launched by the end of 2025. Another mall in Cochin will be a waterfront property, which will be F&B and activity heavy, retail light. This too will be launched by the end of 2025,” says Fawaz.

The group, which is already technology forward through its parking navigation systems, loyalty programs, state of the art POS systems and an app which lets consumer order food from the food court and allows for gamification, is looking forward to becoming more technology ready in its newer malls.