Today is Thursday, 24 July
 
Subscribe to Fortnightly newsletter
Email :   
Other Publications
 
March - April Issue, 2008 (Vol 5. Issue 1.)
Print Sent to friend

 

 

 
Real Estate Bank India (REBI), after commencing operations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, has expanded to Andhra Pradesh with Orange Infraa as their first master franchisee. It also commenced its overseas operations in Sri Lanka and soon would like to go to countries like the UK, the USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and Australia. REBI envisions providing a single window services (brokerage services, financial services, database services and relocation services), for a customer in real estate industry.
Infiniti Retail Launches Croma In Delhi
Making its mark into the north Indian market, Infiniti Retail Limited, a 100% subsidiary of Tata Sons, launched its first Croma electronic and consumer durables store at Vikas Surya Shopping Mall, Rohini, New Delhi. Croma, is a large-format, multi-brand consumer durable and electronic store that has on offer 6,000 products and 180 national and international brands, across eight product categories, the widest-ever range of electronic gizmos, namely, home entertainment, small appliances, white goods, computers and peripherals, music, communication, imaging and gaming software. Currently, a total of 15 Croma stores are operational in India.
FNP Ties Up With Jet Airways
Following its successful foray into lifestyle, weddings and home decor segments, Ferns N Petals (FNP) has partnered with Jet Airways. Jet privilege members based in India and abroad can earn JPMiles at Ferns N Petals for purchases through their website or get discounts at stores across 54 outlets in India. The company is spreading its visibility and availability by not just sticking to its own website but is present on most of the leading shopping websites in India and abroad..
Videocon To Consolidate Retail Business
Videocon Industries is entering the grocery and lifestyle retailing market through cash-and-carry format, and is planning to have all its retail formats under an umbrella brand called Videocon Retail, by mid-2008. The company’s retail brands include Next Retail, the recently-acquired Planet M, and the to-be-introduced cash-and-carry format. “We see the growth in the retail business, which is currently doubling for us each year, as a great value proposition,” said Venugopal Dhoot, chief managing director, Videocon Industries.
Hindware Forays Into Home Interiors Retail
Hindustan Sanitaryware and Industries Limited (HSIL) has entered the organised retail sector with home interiors specialty chain of stores called Evok, with the first three stores opening in the NCR. The three different formats are living, kitchen and bath domains ranging between 8,000 sq.ft.-30,000 sq.ft. The company has plans to invest Rs 250 crores to establish 50 large-format company operated specialty destination stores in top 25 cities of India over the next five years and champion the cause of home fashion furnishing.

Evok stores will showcase world-class contemporary products in furniture, furnishings, bath products, modular kitchens, flooring, lighting and lifestyle home accessories sourced and coordinated from across the world. The stores will also provide personalised home interior planning services to assist home makers visualise, choose and create their desired habitats. The venture will focus on the lower mid-segment to mid-upper segment consumer group.
Small Format Mobile Shops From Essar
Essar Telecom Retail that runs The MobileStore, a chain of mobile phone outlets, is planning to open small-format shops. The company is expected to open 250 of these shops by March 2009 in residential apartments, offices complexes and malls. Spread across 50-150 sq.ft., the shops will be smaller as compared to the existing The Mobile Stores, and will sell popular handset models, accessories, connections and music services. The company is in talks with some realtors for property, and IT companies to set up stores on their campuses.
Virgin ties up with Tata to enter India

Virgin Mobile, the UK-based mobile virtual network operator has partnered with Tata Teleservices to launch new services in India. Virgin will not be a mobile virtual network operator as the status is not allowed in the country. Nevertheless, the company plans to extend its brand name in India.

 Richard Branson, chairman, Virgin Group, said, “India looks very promising as the market here is six times the size of the UK's population.: He added, “The plan is to launch Virgin Mobile handset services through Tata Teleservices Ltd in 50 cities and expand it to more than 1,000 cities by December.”

Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Group, in an issued statement said, “As part of an initiative to bring freshness and innovation to young subscribers in India, we decided to be the franchisee of Virgin Mobile.” In addition to mass brand image, through this agreement with Virgin, it seems Tata is trying to penetrate the niche customer market as well.

TTK Prestige Launches Modular ‘Kitchen Boutique’ s
TTK Prestige Limited, a kitchen appliance company in an endeavour to provide end-to-end kitchen solutions, launched Prestige Kitchen Boutique — an exclusive retail initiative that showcases a gamut of designer modular kitchens in an appealing ambience and unique modular layout. The store is equipped with a full-fledged design studio that allows customers to get a look and feel of each kitchen exclusively. The Prestige Modular Kitchen range costs Rs 1 lakh onwards. Currently, there are two stores in Bangalore at Koramangala and JP Nagar.
Vah Magna launches Cash & Carry Format
Vah Magna has launched its cash and carry format at Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad. With a minimum purchase value of Rs 999, this format targets the bulk shoppers spanning the retail, institutional and consumer segments.

Spread out over 60,000 sq. ft. Vah Magna Cash & Carry offers a wide choice of men’s and women’s apparel, consumer durables, toys and apparel for children, grocery, fish and meat, fruits and vegetables, all under one roof. For this format, Vah Magna buys directly from manufacturers and is thus able to pass on retailing margins to its customers.
New Formats From Reliance Retail
Reliance Retail Ltd. has recently launched two new formats called Reliance Super, which is a mini-mart and Reliance Autozone. The other formats already introduced by Reliance Retail Ltd. include Reliance Fresh, Reliance Mart, Reliance Digital, Reliance Trendz, Reliance I Store, Reliance Footprint, Reliance Wellness, Reliance Jewels and Reliance Timeout.

Spread across 13,500 sq.ft. of shopping area, Reliance Super carries a range of 10,000 products, in every category ranging from fresh produce, food and grocery, home care products, apparel and accessories, non-food FMCG products, consumer durables and IT, automotive accessories, lifestyle products, footwear and health and wellness products. Reliance Super also boasts of a host of Reliance’s own apparel brands in select categories.

Meanwhile, Reliance Autozone offers four-wheeler and two-wheeler services under one roof along with retailing of tyres, batteries and a wide range of automotive accessories. In future, Autozone shall also enter the two-wheeler retail space by offering multi-brand choice under one roof. “Reliance will invest Rs 25,000 crores in its retail venture by fiscal 2011,” Reliance Retail chief executive and president, Bijou Kurien, said.
Raymond To Expand In Karnataka
Raymond Ltd., the Rs 2,500-crore integrated textiles and apparel firm, is planning to double its retail presence in Karnataka by opening 50 stores over the next two years. The retail arm which brings in Rs 750 crores of sales is aiming to set up presence in tier-IV and tier-V cities for this expansion. At present, Raymond has more than 430 stores in India, West Asia and South Asia spread across 170 cities with approximately one million sq.ft. of dedicated retail space. As part of its retail expansion, the company has set itself a target of setting up 950 stores by 2010 spread over 2 million sq.ft. of retail space. The company officials said that close to 90 per cent of this expansion will be led by franchisees.

In addition to the brand Raymond, the company also retails its other brands such as ColorPlus, Parx, Park Avenue, Manzoni besides licensed ones such as GAS.
a+MediSpa Expanding Its Reach
The Rs 3,000-crore Mayar Group launched a+MediSpa, supposedly India’s first medical spa. Spread over 18000 sq.ft. and located at Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, a+ MediSpa offers medical technology in combination with ancient Ayurvedic healing systems in a spa environment under close supervision of doctors. The company has plans to open 14 more such facilities in India over the next three years. Rs 400 crores will be invested over the next three years in setting up a chain of a+MediSpas in the western region of India, countries in the Far-East and West. Explaining the concept of a+MediSpa, Abhit Sud, MD, Mayar Group, said, “Focussed on domestic, international and medical tourism, our brand ‘Amatrra Spa’ was launched in 2004. We offer a host of treatments like cosmetic dermatology, hair transplant, cosmetic dentistry, Ayurveda healing methods like detoxification, stress management, anti-age treatment, relaxing and rejuvenating massages.”.
DIL To Increase Pizza Hut Stores
Ravi Jaipuria-owned RJ Corp is consolidating all food, retail and franchise operations under group company Devyani International Ltd (DIL). Rolling out a five-year blueprint for DIL, RJ Corp chairman Ravi Jaipuria said that an investment of Rs 450 crores would be infused in DIL. DIL has adopted a strategy of de-risking its business model with a presence of brands across different product categories. The investment of Rs 450 crores will be infused mainly for setting up new stores in all regions where DIL holds franchisee rights. While the company has all-India rights for Costa Coffee and Disney Artist, for Pizza Hut it holds the rights for the North and East regions. DIL intends to increase the number of Pizza Hut outlets from 65 this year to 205 by 2013.The number of Costa Coffee outlets are expected to go up from 40 to 300.The foods franchisee arm plans to leverage RJ Corp’s supply chain, warehousing, logistics and distribution network riding on back of its parent company’s alliances with international majors in the food and beverages space.
Lakme To Enter SAARC Countries
Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL) is taking the Lakme brand across the Indian borders to neighbouring countries. After launching the brand in Bangladesh last year, Lakme is now poised to enter new markets in the SAARC region beginning with Sri Lanka. Anil Chopra, Vice-President, Home and Personal Care, HUL, said that studies have shown that Lakme enjoys equity wherever there is population of Indian origin. Besides, there is huge reach of Indian media in these markets, which has also made it easier to build equity for Indian brands. Lakme is planning to use its 105 salons across the country as an additional means of distribution and education for its brands. The salon route will also be used for vending non-Lakme brands in HUL’s kitty in the skin and haircare segment.
Brandhouse Retails Plans New Formats
S Kumars has demerged its retail business into Brandhouse Retails Ltd. and looks to dot the country’s retail landscape with several formats and brands. It plans to set up large format multi-brand discount stores and launch a value-for-money private label. Brandhouse Retails is also looking to bring into India three to four international brands in the super premium and luxury segments in the fashion and accessories category. Also on the cards is an initiative to create a luxury high street in India in collaboration with other retailers. As of now, Brandhouse manages close to 260 EBOs (which include EBOs of SKNL as well as Dunhill and Escada stores) and plans to finish this financial year with 400 stores, said Tarun Joshi, Managing Director, Brandhouse Retails.