Retail India Business - News, Views and Much More

Retail India: Bharti's Opens "Easy Day" Stores

Bharti Enterprises has opened its neighbourhood stores - Easy Day in its hometown Ludhiana. This is its first roll-out of the food and grocery stores with the partnership with Wal-Mart.

Retail India: Tata's Trent buys-out Founder Hemu

After 3 years of Trent aquiring 76% in Landmark founded by Hemu Ramaiah, Tata's Trent has just closed the final stages of the deal by buying out the rest of the stake. Landmark in the last 3 years has expanded rapidly with about 15 stores across the country. 

Retail India: Marks & Spencers JV with Reliance Retail

Well it finally had to happen. Marks & Spencers has been trying to expand from its home turf for quite sometime and its entry into the USA hasn't been spectacular and its entry into India with a Joint Venture Licensing with Pantaloon Retail was limited with a dozen odd Stores limited with Fashion Retail. Although in the begining M&S had been clearly marketed at the upper-end, the last 1 year has seen them repositioning itself as a value retailer of quality clothes, as affordable as any other decent brand, although it needs to realize it should't loose its charm and become cheap in the process.

Now that M&S has been trying so hard to grow its businesses outside UK, India is on the spotlight and its new JV with Reliance says it all. Probably there is't anyone more ambitious that Reliance and someone who could also make things happen. M&S has clearly outlined it will expand beyond fashion in India. Need to wait and see what happens to the 14 stores already with Planet Retail / Future Group.

Spencers Retail Expansion

Spencers Plans to invest rapidly over the next 12 months to gain a stronger retail presence. Would be scaling from 550 stores to 2000 stores by 2009 and 5000 stores by 2011.

Retail India: Whats the Fuss About Fresh?

    There seems to be a sudden craze and fuss about using "Fresh" as your brand. Heritage Foods, Reliance Retail, Bharti Retail, Spencers Retail are a few who are already flouting the idea of Fresh and there hardly seems to be much differnce in thier logos.

Although yes the rationale behing the brand Fresh in grocery retailing is obvious, but then is't it something else to be more creative in your branding than to just immitate what everyones aping? Anyways its always nice know that all the money spent on brand identity is well spent :)

So are we going to see each one fighting over who started the "Fresh" concept first? It will be a good start to have some lawsuits in this country over branding though.

Retail India: LVMH May Set Office in India

Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton - LVMH maybe planning to set its India Corporate Office shortly with its plans to set Sephora brand in the country. This would be in line to bring its other brands into the country including DFS. 

Retail India: Watson Not To Enter

A.S.Watson Group has said it will not enter India with its ambitious plans till there is clarity in the Government policy and till it allows 51% FDI in Retail. For the moment, Franchisee route has been ruled out internally.

Retail India: Sephora To Open 50 Stores

French based Beauty Store Chain, Sephora, plans to set shop in India shortly. Plans include to open 50 stores over a period of 5 years across major cities. Sephora is a division of Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton.

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Retail India: Bose India To Go Solo

Bose India plans to open and set shops across India at its own pace and by itself. Bose currently operates 12 stand alone stores across India. There are no plans to tie-up with any retail chains or open franchisees at the moment.