Malabar Gold & Diamonds hosted a visiting Māori cultural delegation, led by Whiria Collective, at its flagship store in Hyderabad during the delegation’s India visit. The delegation was in the country as part of the World & Us: New Zealand Festival – India Chapter, a national cultural and creative exchange initiative being held across multiple Indian cities.
The visit serves as a meaningful milestone in Malabar Gold & Diamonds’ expanding relationship with New Zealand, coming soon after the brand marked its entry into the country with a new store launch in Auckland in 2025. The Auckland showroom has been performing exceptionally well, supported by both local New Zealanders and the expat community, reflecting the brand’s strong connection with its customers in the region. As the company strengthens its presence in this dynamic market, it continues to place cultural understanding at the heart of its global strategy
By engaging with the Māori delegation, Malabar Gold & Diamonds reinforces its belief that business growth is most impactful when paired with genuine respect for local traditions, communities, and cultural identities. This approach reflects the brand’s broader philosophy of building authentic, long‑term connections across the diverse regions in which it operates.
Through initiatives like this, Malabar Gold & Diamonds aims not only to bring its products to new markets but also to contribute meaningfully to cultural exchange and mutual appreciation.
Commenting on the visit, Mr. M.P. Ahammad, Chairman, Malabar Group, said: “At Malabar Gold & Diamonds, we see our stores as spaces that go beyond retail to reflect the cultures and communities we engage with. Hosting the Māori delegation in Hyderabad is a meaningful moment for us, especially as we deepen our presence in New Zealand. Exchanges like these allow for mutual respect, learning and connection, which are values we believe are essential as Indian brands grow globally.”
During the visit, the delegation was welcomed through a curated in-store experience that reflected Hyderabad’s cultural traditions and local flavours. This included regional culinary offerings and keepsakes inspired by the heritage of the Telugu states, presented in Malabar’s signature brand packaging.
The delegation performed their signature haka at the store, captivating everyone present and delighting customers with a powerful display of Māori culture. The performance created a memorable and immersive experience for both shoppers and the Malabar Gold & Diamonds management team, adding a vibrant cultural dimension to the occasion.
Commenting on the experience, Mahia Williams from the Whiria Collective said:
“We are deeply grateful to Malabar Gold & Diamonds for their generous hospitality during our visit to their Hyderabad showroom. Experiencing their extraordinary craftsmanship, personalised service, and warm welcome made this cultural exchange truly memorable. The opportunity to share taonga, perform haka and waiata, and engage in meaningful dialogue reflects the spirit of whanaungatanga — connection, respect, and enduring friendship. We look forward to strengthening this relationship and exploring future collaborations grounded in shared cultural values.”
Through this engagement, Malabar Gold & Diamonds continues to position its retail spaces as venues for cultural dialogue and global connection – extending beyond commerce to enable meaningful people-to-people exchange while welcoming international communities engaging with India.
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About Malabar Gold and Diamonds
Malabar Gold & Diamonds was established in 1993 and is the flagship company of Malabar Group, a leading diversified Indian business conglomerate.
With an annual turnover of $7.36 billion, the company currently ranks as the 5th largest jewellery retailer globally and today has a strong retail network of over 420 showrooms spread across 14 countries in addition to multiple offices, design centers, wholesale units, and factories spread across India, Middle East, Far East, the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia & New Zealand. The group, owned by 3,500 shareholders, has more than 30,000 professionals from over 26 countries working towards its continued success. Malabar Gold & Diamonds also features an online store www.malabargoldanddiamonds.com providing customers the opportunity to purchase their favorite jewelry at any time and on any day from the comfort of their homes.
The group also operates MGD – Lifestyle Jewellery, a retail concept offering trendy and light weight jewellery that represents the independent and the modern woman through its designs and collections.
Mojawhraty by Malabar is the latest retail concept from the brand, exclusively catering to Arabic audience globally. Mojawhraty blends Arabic tradition with modern elegance.
ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) has been the primary commitment of the group since its inception. The key ESG focus area of Malabar Group are Health, Housing, Hunger Free World, Education, Environment and Women empowerment. Integrating the principles of responsibility and sustainability into its core business, Malabar Group periodically strengthens its ESG goals to remain a socially conscious and responsible organization. The group contributes 5% of its profit to such initiatives in the same country of operation.
-TIN Bureau