Sports gear retailing

By Nishi Roy

13 Mar 2010

The story has been read 4794 times.

It is but impossible to miss the sport-themed-entrance of

SPORTXS as soon as one steps out of the transparent glass lifts
on the first floor of the Forum Value Mall at Whitefield,
Bangalore. India’s first speciality sports gear retailer creates a
well organised and energetic environment that showcases
over 5,000 products across 28 sport categories and 54 brands.
In short, a one-stop-shop for sport lovers, enthusiasts and
professionals alike.

The completely fitted-out black mannequin in outdoor

adventure sports gear, the fitted twin-sharing tent – which even has a foldable chair placed
strategically at the tent-entrance – and the large 6x4 ft interactive web-based screen on the top left
hand-side corner of the store entrance are all enough to grab the interest and attention of any
passerby.

The prominently displayed simple yet- vibrant brand logo in energetic hues of yellow, orange and
red on a black background is compelling in its ability to draw in just about any passerby. Regarding
the design and the choice of colours for the brand logo, Monica Laliwala, MD, Xsis Promotions India
Pvt. Ltd., says, “The SPORTXS symbol is made out of three triangles connected together. The triangle
is one of the most dynamic of all simple geometric shapes and the movement has been further
emphasised by tilting the shapes as well. Each triangle also represents our three layers of retail:
Enjoy – for the sports fan; Play – for the sports lover; and Perform – for the professional.”

“Black forms the perfect backdrop for us to display all our products and collaterals as visually it does
not interfere with the products and allows them to stand out clearly. Yellow, orange and red are hot
or active colours and therefore form the perfect palette to depict the energy of sports.” Sharing
information about the web based screen Laliwala says, “Live feeds can be shown here and they can
be controlled from any part of the world. For instance, If a particular brand wants a show a live
launch of any of their latest products or say, even show a live sporting activity or show live product
videos, they will be able to do so from any part of the world.”

Regarding the retail space, Laliwala says, “The store size was selected with the objective of delivering
an optimum retail experience and to accommodate all sports categories with depth of display. This is
the first sports gear retail destination in India and there was no specific data available for numbers in
this category. We decided on this size considering the number of sports categories and SKUs
available. One of the Xsis genetics is to create profitable retail destinations and right sizing is most
important criteria to deliver that.”

In 5,500 square feet of area SPORTXS at present covers 28 sports categories, 5,000 SKUs and 50
brands. “We also have sufficient storage area (200 square feet) – as sports shoes as a category
requires storage. We also have two trial rooms (60 square feet) for the apparel category. The store
design also includes a play area/experience zone (900 square feet) on the mezzanine floor (shared
by SPORTXS and Crossword, a seamless open store right beside the SPORTXS outlet), which has a
table tennis table, a fuss ball table, a carom board, a trampoline and a large projector screen for
viewing live sport telecasts.”

Xsis Retail, which is headquartered in Bangalore, decided to launch the SPORTXS concept in its home
territory first, “We know the Bangalore market very well. Whitefield is an ideal place for a retail
format like this, as people living in and around this location are exposed to sports and have the
amenities/space (as there are numerous gated communities in and around Whitefield) to indulge in
sporting activities.”

Store Interiors
As one walks into the store, the bold and dramatic colour scheme inside – of darkest grey, pale grey
and white – creates an aura of energy and power. The store has been designed by Dilip Patel of
Aakruti Architects, who has also designed many large format Crossword stores. The circular path
designed-store gives an automatic direction to shoppers and helps them to get a seamless and
clutter free walkthrough of the outlet. The space frame design along the circular path – with hanging
dome lights – gives the store a very sporting-arena feel. Bold 6-inch dark grey and white header
cards across the various sports categories are immensely helpful, as the shopper is easily able to
identify his/her area of interest from a distance.

Laliwala says, “The store and the signage system have been designed to create a high energy and
pulsating environment. The three triangles are used in a graphic language to create symbols that
depict the specific sports, so that as a customer browses through the store, the SPORTXS identity is
subtly and unconsciously reinforced.

A dictionary of sport symbols, which covers every category of sport present in the store, is also in
evidence.” Larger-than-life visuals of the sport category have been blended with inspirational sports
quotes and the three triangles to create a graphic language that is unique and distinctly owned by
SPORTXS.

The mood board near the store entrance displays the current mood or sporting flavour of the season
(display is changed every week). Currently, there is a complete display of tennis gear, including the
balls, racquets, clothes and accessories. Even though most of the time a sports category is on
display, on a few occasions, the area is also utilised for new product displays.

The dedicated Fan section has a wide array of impulse purchase and popular sports and adventure-
related products – team India jerseys, football club jerseys and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj
Singh mugs. Thus, even those not particularly sporty can walk in to pick up an item from the fan
section. This section also has a glass cabinet, which displays accessories including binoculars, Swiss
knives, sunglasses, bicycle glasses and watches.

On being asked if fear of pilferage is the reason for keeping these products in a locked glass cabinet,
Laliwala says, “No we are not really concerned about pilferage. We have realised that the profile of
customers that come into stores like this have a very high sense of ethics. Maximum pilferage
happens from within your own system. We have yet not been able to devise a way where we can
hang these and lock them with the stand. Once we are able to do so, we will have them displayed
outside.”

Next to the Fan section is the Adventure zone, which houses sporting gear from various brands in
sport categories including hiking, rock climbing, archery, camping, swimming and fishing. Part of the
fan section also extends into the Adventure section. Laliwala says, “With major sporting events like
IPL (Indian Premier League) in the offing, we will expand and stock more of that particular sport-
related merchandise in our Fan section. We are already displaying the various IPL team jerseys; soon
more cricket-related products will adorn our shelves.”

“We will be constantly changing our displays,” she goes on to add. “All our display racks are foldable
and movable. Depending on the sporting activity – national or international, happening or imminent
– our displays will change accordingly. The store has been designed in such a way that depending on
our requirements we can completely alter the displays.” Elucidating on the fixtures, Laliwala says,
“The height of the wall rack is at 8 feet – to increase product density. There are 16 types of hanging
arms designed to fit on the grid structure, which add versatility of hanging different types of sports
gear and accessories.”

Floor racks are also designed with the same grid structure. Thought and consideration has gone into
the height and width of the display grids. The height is 6 feet, and therefore does not block visibility
– since it is a grid and is hence see-through. “The height is again giving creating more density, which
is the call of the day – to boost PSFPD (per square feet per day) sales,” Laliwala remarks.

“The 4-feet floor rack can carry and represent a whole brand or a category with different accessories
and gear for that particular sport. The 2-feet floor racks are designed in such a way so that they add
an element of design (like a circular curve currently) to the layout and thus make it interesting for
the customer. Also it gives automatic visual direction for the customer to follow the path, which
leads them to all different sports categories.”

Through the various kinds of in-store signages, customers will also be able to satisfy all queries and
make informed purchases. As Laliwala says, at no point of time, would she want the customer to
regret his/her buying decision. Apart from the headers that clearly display the designated category,
even at the product level, there are signages displaying the particular product information.

“For instance, information on why the product is needed, its usefulness etc. Regarding why this is
done, in spite of the product packaging disclosing the desired information, Laliwala says, “The
packaging does not always have all the desired information. We have put all the information
together in simple language, so that the shopper has enough information to buy a desired product.”
Apart from signages, the three interactive web-enabled Educate panels (one in the Adventure
section, one near the Recreation section and yet another near the Team Sports section) are a
storehouse of information for all sporting categories and gear.

Looking ahead
Elaborating on the prospective plans, Laliwala says, “We are delighted as we have been able to
create a store like this for the first time in the modern retail environment in India. Our future plan is
to take our own brand SPORTXS ahead. We think that SPORTXS as a format has an extremely good
potential. We are looking at large format and stand alone stores in other areas of Bangalore and are
keen to have a pan-India presence. We want to make SPORTXS the largest organised retail
destination for sports gear in India. To take our vision forward, we are looking for right business
partners to create location catering to customers’ delight”.

Immediate future plans include launching a 15-seater coffee shop in February 2010 in the Experience
Zone at the Bangalore outlet. “It will not be an elaborate café, but essentially a place where
shoppers – if they like – can rest their feet,” says Laliwala. Exuding confidence about the business
potential of SPORTXS, Laliwala further states, “We are an ideal first floor anchor brand, since we
need lateral spacing and have enough pull to bring customers to the first floor in terms of our
expertise. We want to live up to our theme of ‘Great gear for all’, not just for sport lovers living in
the silicon city, but also for those across the country.”

Features and Resources

Store size: 5,500 sq.ft
Ceilings: Space Frame structure and Dome with PL lights to give sports arena effect
Fixtures: Designed with MS Flat Vertical and MS Rod
Lighting: Two types of mixed lights -- Aluminum Dome hanging from the space frame and CDMT
lights fitted on the space frame
Flooring: Grey Somani Arizona Griz 20” X 20”
In-store Media: Educate panels
Point of Purchase: Raymedi software from GoFrugal Technologies
Store Security: In the process of evaluating for installing CCTV or IP camera with on line remote
monitoring
Signage/ graphics: Designed by IDEA SPICE designs
Architect/ designer: Aakruti Architects, headed by Dilip Patel

*For whole article please refer to IMAGES Retail magazine of Feb' 10

Ready to rock with Hard Rock

By Akansha Srivastava

13 Nov 2009

The story has been read 2154 times.

If rock is your thing, you will feel right at home here. With the
arrival of the iconic Hard Rock Café in New Delhi, rock lovers in
the Capital have plenty of cheer about. The 7,000-square feet
cafe and retail outlet, India’s fourth Hard Rock Café, operated
by franchisee HR Cafe India, offers guests classic American fare
in a rock `n` roll atmosphere at DLF Place in Saket. The
restaurant has an awe-inspiring collection of authentic Rock n
Roll music memorabilia, with priceless pieces from The
Beatles, Pearl Jam and Jimi Hendrix plus contemporary stars
such as Buckcherry, 3 Doors Down, and Black Eyed Peas as well
as John Lennon, Elvis Presley gracing the cafe walls, along with
more recent additions including stage costumes worn by Madonna and Tina Turner.

Speaking to IndiaRetailing, Jay Singh, director, HR Cafe India Pvt. Ltd., said, “The theme of Hard Rock
Cafe is to create a rock museum and so it is the same all across the world. After receiving a
tremendous response from the other three locations in India, we were thrilled to launch Hard Rock
Cafe in a vibrant city like Delhi. We want to bring the international brand experience to the
customers over here and create an ultimate destination for rock lovers of all ages in New Delhi.”

Hard Rock Cafe New Delhi has 200 seats divided into five distinct sections and a stage for live
performances. To elaborate, on entering the café, guests can retire to the Motley Crue lounge on the
left, which can comfortably seat 70 hard rockers. A breezy walk-through leads to the lush,
resplendent Elvis Lounge, a bar area with slouchy, low-lying comfortable seating.

Facing the bar is a stage area where guests can enjoy live performances while chewing upon on a
Hard Rock Burger accompanied by a chilled beer. Further, on the extreme right side of the café is the
soulful, hippy-hoppy Fugees Area with a seating capacity of 44. This is a semi formal dining option.
The Beatles Lounge is the private dining area and offers a personal space for entertaining close
friends and family.

Referring to the interior and restaurant concept, Singh says, “We have designed the restaurant to
position it as a fun place to dine in, in sync with the rock music enhancing the atmosphere.
Depending on the size, it takes around Rs 2-4 crore of expenditure on each restaurant.”

“The Rock n Roll genre cuts across generations. So our target customers extend through a wide
spectrum including teenagers, middle aged guests, family and friends. Also, about 20 per cent of
clientele at all Hard Rock Cafes in India are tourists.”

The menu consists of classic American fare include a wide assortments of burgers, sandwiches and
salads, starters such as spring rolls and chicken wings. Meanwhile, to blend with the local flavour,
the restaurant has a special menu offering — ‘Merri Dilli’ — a section consisting of local favourites
like chicken kebabs and more.

“About 90 per cent of the menu remains the same all around the world. However, we do add local
elements to it, by localising or launching a new line of dishes depending on the city where we open
our restaurant,” Singh adds.

In the ‘Meri Dilli’ menu, Prawn Spirals, Spicy Calamari, Chicken Kebabs, Mezze Platter and Paneer
Shashlik are the hot favourites, available in a price range of Rs 230 to Rs 300.

However, the most popular starters include tasty Tupelo Chicken Tenders, succulent boneless,
seasoned and breaded chicken tenders, served with honey-mustard and hickory barbeque sauces
and carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing at Rs 275. And of course the Jumbo Combo, a delectable
array of four different sauces for mixing and matching including Santa Fe Spring Rolls, Onion Rings,
Potato Skins and Mezze. Served in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions at Rs 425 and Rs
525 respectively, this is guaranteed to rock any guest’s senses.

“Jumbo Combo is our best selling dish; it is liked by all across the globe,” Singh confirms.

Twisted Mac & Cheese, the Legendary 10 Oz Burger topped with seasoned bacon, three slices of
cheese, fried onion rings, lettuce, tomato and pickles, Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae and an array of
premium cocktails including Hurricane, Triple Platinum Margarita, Platinum Bloody Mary and Berry
Blush are some of the other quintessential American favourites at Hard Rock Café. The all-American
experience isn’t too heavy on the wallet either; an average bill for two would hover around just Rs
1200.

Regarding the freshness of the food, the restaurant has key rules on quality control and monitoring
the products. “We have a solid infrastructure and we follow set rules to maintain it,” Singh says.
“Handling of waste food and cooking techniques have to be constantly monitored to maintain the
chain’s international standards. We have an in house logistics chain to manage our back-end
operations.”

Adding to all these services, for the first time, Hard Rock Cafe in New Delhi has also opened a retail
store within the premises with limited-edition and city-specific merchandise available. The Rock
Shop offers a limited line of authentic Hard Rock Cafe items, including Hard Rock’s famous Classic
and City T-shirts, as well as highly coveted accessories and pins.

Packed during weekends with a long guest list waiting to get in, Hard Rock Cafe New Delhi - is
waiting to take your expectations to a new level of rock n’ roll. So for a world renowned menu in an
atmosphere that rocks; make the Hard Rock Cafe your next stop.
BOX
Hard Rock Café | History In The Making

The first Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) opened its doors to the public on June 14, 1971, in London, England.
Founded by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, two enterprising and music-loving Americans, HRC was
an instant classic, attracting droves of customers with its first-rate, but moderately priced casual
American fare, warm service and ever-present rock `n` roll music and sensibility.

With over 130 venues in more 40 countries around the world, Hard Rock is today a truly global
phenomenon. From its launch in London, England, to New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo, and
on to such exotic and far-flung locales as Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai, Hard Rock offers a special
experience to its ever-expanding clientele. Its unparalleled memorabilia collection, which consists of
more than 70,000 pieces that are rotated from restaurant to restaurant, provides the world`s most
comprehensive "visual history" of rock `n` roll.

Area: 7,000-square feet

Location: DLF Place, Saket, New Delhi

Homeland Security

By Runul Vashistha

24 Sep 2009

The story has been read 1730 times.

An explosive category as per industry insiders, ethnicwear is

yet to realise its true potential. With modern retail giving more
space to this segment now, the key to sustainability is
innovation and product differentiation, while developing
nationally-relevant merchandise mixes. Runul Vashistha
speaks to Hemang Savla, the man in the driver's seat at
Ethnicity, Future Group's all-in-one ethnic retail format.

Nothing changes faster than fashion and consumer

preferences. What was labelled as traditional and indoor
clothing a decade ago, has laid the foundation for today’s contemporary Indian ethnic chic. While
Indo-western styles are now commonly spotted in professional settings, weddings and festivals are
incomplete without true-blue Indian ensembles. The new addition to the bandwagon are speciality
retail formats, the most visible of which is Ethnicity by the Future Group. Currently wooing
customers in Ahmedabad and Mumbai with a unique merchandise mix comprising apparel,
accessories, food , home improvement, and personal care products, Ethnicity is a concept that brings
together ethnicware retailers, brands and manufacturers in a modern retail environment.

Hemang Savla, Concept Owner, Ethnicity, says that that the retail format took birth (in October
2008) from the fact that while there is clearly massive demand for all the categories in the store,
little effort has so far been made to present all of them under one structured, branded umbrella.

“Ethnicity is certainly a differentiated format as compared to traditional retailers. It’s just not about
ethnic clothing. It’s much more than that; it’s an experience. I am convinced that the format has
taken great shape and is being well accepted across all age groups,” he says.

“With so many designer labels going the prêt way, the high level propaganda of Fashion Weeks and
wedding exhibitions, ethnic clothing is now chic, trendy and fashionable. A lot of this perception has
also to do with Indian eating habits and body sizes that don’t always look flattering in western
clothing,” he adds.

“Also, the proliferation of fusion fashion – mix-and-match tunics/ short kurta/ kurtis with jeans/
trousers/ skirts -- to blend some form of ethnic wear in daily clothing has led to a resurgence of
demand, though Indo-western as daily wear is largely limited to urban areas,” he adds.

Savla emphasises that Ethnicity is not a fashion-only retailer. The mix comprises costume jewellery
to accessories such as scarves, stoles, dupattas, mojris, ethnic food (farsaan, pickles), handicraft
goods, pooja ka saaman, in addition to apparel. With over 50 brands to select from, from 40
different regions of India, prices begin at as low as Rs 10 for a small finger ring and can touch Rs
100,000 for a bridal saree.

Ethnicity's network currently comprises three stores (one each at Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Indore)
with a combined retail space of 54,000 square feet. Before the end of the fiscal, four more outlets
are expected to become operational in non-metros, each avergaing about 12,000 square feet in size.

Savla confirms that each Ethnicity store has entailed an investment of 5 crore rupees, and registers
an average sales per square feet of Rs 25 per day. At 55 per cent, womenswear grabs the lion's share
of retail space, with menswear and kidswear occupying 15 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.
Home accessories and costume jewellery take up 10 per cent each.

Given this merchandise ratio, it is little surprise that womenswear accounts for the largest chunk (60
per cent) of sales turnover, with costume jewellery following at 15 per cent, menswear and home
accessories each contributing 10 per cent, and kidswear wrapping things up with five per cent.

“Ethnicity is mass market as well as high end since it addresses a wide spectrum of customers and
product offerings. But the underlining parameters that makes ethnic as a category successful remain
unchanged,” he points out. “All kind of people celebrate festivals, observe rituals and shop for
marriages. At the end of the day, be it any format, from the customers’ perspective, success in this
category still boils down to only three important criteria: competitive product pricing, product choice
and availability, and excellent customer service.”

The key differentiator for Ethnicity, Savla says, lies in its 360-degree shopping experience. “A lot of
our format’s success depends on us being consistent in our promise to offer different varieties of
clothing, handicraft, accessories and household items from different parts of the country. It’s almost
like getting a high street shopping experience under one roof and constantly reinventing it. This
requires a lot of dedication and patience, not to mention category management,” he says.

“At Ethnicity, what changes is the experience of shopping. Customers typically are taken back by
such huge variety under one roof. So there is an instant ‘wow’ factor in the way we have created the
store interiors and treated our visual appeal.”

In sync with the merchandise offer, Ethnicity's store design reflects a distinctly ethnic character –
visual merchandising tools include artefacts, paintings and décor pieces from Rajasthan, Orissa,
Gujarat and the like.

“Visual merchandising is like the synopsis of a story book. Ethnicity has gone the “desi way” for
becoming attractive and communicative. I feel it’s vital to not only be a differentiated retailer but
also to draw out the true essence of the products we sell,” Savla says.

“Branding in ethnicwear has been led by region of origin of the product (Benares sarees/ Lucknowi
kurta, Kutch Bandhini). We are now witnessing some dominant national level brands taking shape in
the category who are investing not only in advertising, but in designing exclusive products and
making it available pan India,” he adds.

*For whole article please refer to IMAGES Retail magazine of Sept' 09

Down to Earth – organising the organics

Sangita Ghosh

22 Jul 2009

The story has been read 2507 times.

Morarka Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd. (MOFPL), a long-time

producer, supplier and exporter of organic products, has now
entered the domestic food retail territory with the launch of its first organic food store at Tardeo in
Mumbai.

The debut
Down to Earth, the 2,000 square feet branded organic retail outlet from Morarka Organic that stocks
more than 300 varieties of cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, spices, dairy and poultry, processed
products and condiments, is a single store operation as of now, but has plans to develop into a pan-
India speciality retail chain.

Commenting on the company’s entry into the sector, Mukesh Gupta, director - operations of the
Jaipur based Morarka Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd., said, “For us this marks a significant and a ground-
breaking step not only for Morarka Organics, but also for organic industry in the country.”

According to him, being ‘lifestyle products’, organic foods cannot be commoditised and regarded
simply as any other grocery category in a retail store. This is what drove Morarka to launch a
speciality retail format for a category that Gupta believes deserves special treatment. “We had no
other option but to look for alternative retail spaces and the one ‘Down To earth’ store in Mumbai is
a small step towards that effort,” he says.

According to him, Down To Earth is the first ‘truly organic’ store where each product that is stocked
and sold is 100 percent certified organic, as per the standards applicable in USA and Europe. “Down
to Earth is the outcome of a strategic planning that began away back in 1999 after a careful
evaluation of the contexts of the Indian as well as international markets,” says Gupta.

To begin with, Morarka made massive investments in developing the production base. The organic
certification in compliance with international standards was implemented with many innovative
modifications; investments have also been made to develop Information Technology applications in
the management of organic value chain, and above all, supply chain management, processing and
packaging techniques.

The raison d’etre

For Morarka, the opening of Down to Earth marks the launch of a domestic interface for the huge
amount of organic products that have been produced and exported by the company for a long time.
“While we are present in all aspects of the organic value chain, the opening of the store has only
been one more step in our efforts to develop the value chain management for organic products in
the country,” Gupta says.

The retail brand has been conceptualised to promote ideas on improving the quality of life by
graduating the quality of food and other organic non-foods products, says Gupta. “The store has
been set up to deliver all that a consumer can think of in food and to some extent non-foods, and
Morarka Organic offers the organic option in all those choices,” he claims.

According to Morarka Organic, Down to Earth is an exclusive organic retail outlet chain and a first-of-
its-kind for India. “This is a platform for creating marketing linkages for over 250,000 organic
producers spread over the entire country producing over 300 food items. Therefore, Down to Earth
is the only retail store to stock and sell a wide range of only own label organic products produced,
processed and marketed by the parent organisation,” he adds.

The process of organic food retailing – from cultivation, to processing and packaging – as per
international standards takes up to three years, says Gupta.

The store

The organic revolution by Morarka Organics began 12 years ago in Navalgarh – a small town at the
edge of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. Today, the vast activities of the organic food research and
development involve a network of 70,000 certified organic farmers directly within its folds. The
company trains farmers and NGOs on organic farming and the products are certified by independent
certification agencies.

According to Morarka Organics, all Down to Earth products are certified by OneCert Asia Agri,
Certification Pvt Ltd, (a subsidiary of OneCert Inc. USA) as per NPOP (India) and EU standards for
Organic Certifications. Down to Earth provides a comprehensive range of organic substitutes for
normal food and non-food requirements as well.

Currently, the store offers basic commodities, in which large capacities of production have already
been created. Very soon a new portfolio of processed products will also be offered, once again with
100 percent guaranteed organic status. A number of products in the store are priced at a 15 percent
discount to open market prices, which implies only a marginal difference in pricing of regular and
organic products. This has been a conscious effort by the store to draw customers who generally
keep away from organic products assuming its high price quotient. “Yes, organic products are
expensive, but only when sold as a lifestyle product. When sold as commodities, they should be
discounted,” Gupta says.

Communicating the brand

According to him, Down to Earth is trying to communicate the quality, value addition and benefits of
the organic products to its target customers. “Organic is always better value for money. We, in our
limited capacity, are trying to educate customers through continuous in-store-communication,”
Gupta explains. Via in-store communication the company is also trying to educate customers about
the certification of organic products. “Most potential buyers are confused about certified organic
products. Our store also provides a platform to generate adequate awareness,” Gupta says.
According to the company, the ideal communication tool publicises 10 compelling reasons to switch
to Down to Earth: tastes better, feels better, freedom from additives, boosts your system, solves
water problems in farming, protects health of future generations, keeps the rural communities
healthy, keeps the livestock healthy, preserves biodiversity and a natural way of conservation.

Creating the value chain Down to Earth benefits from a strong network supported by Morarka
Organic, which again sustains on mutually beneficial partnerships with several national and
international resource organisations, entrepreneurs and volunteers such as Winrock International,
MESA and AIESEC to establish collaborative relationships, to expand the outreach and cooperation
and prescribes norms for post-harvest handling, processing, packaging, supply chain management to
the retail chain effectively.

According to Morarka Organic, the support for the huge organic production for a retail store has
mostly been coordinated by NGOs, voluntary organisations and the global chains of certification and
expertise. “Our farming presence in over 300 locations and one-to-one relations with over 500
farmer groups enable us to procure, though yet not very efficiently as of now. However, a
reasonable level of satisfaction has been achieved,” Gupta states.

Back to basics

The journey for creating the capacities for cultivation and production has taken very long for
Morarka Organics but that that creates a strong backbone for organised retailing, states Gupta. “The
organization has just started its operation into organised retailing and Down to Earth is the first
attempt to that. We would like to be present across verticals in organised retailing,” says Gupta.
Morarka has invested close to Rs 100 crores to develop the basic values in creating the capacities of
production. The maiden Down to Earth store has been set up with an investment of about Rs 10
crores, informs Gupta. On further expansion plans for Down to Earth, Gupta says, “We do have plans
and offers across the country to set up stores. We are, of course, evaluating them. After analysing
the performance of this store, we will decide on how to expand. As of now we see greater potential
in Delhi and Kolkata.” Mumbai can also see more outlets, but that too will be driven by customer
response.

Leaving footprints in red & white

By Sarimul Islam Choudhury

15 Jul 2009

The story has been read 1787 times.

Zedds, a leading brand of fashion footwear, recently opened

its second exclusive outlet in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Spread
over 1,500 square feet, this newly launched store, which is a
franchise outlet, showcases around 200 variants of footwear
for men and women. The range includes varieties in formal,
casual, ethnic and party wear categories. With its exciting
interiors (the store is designed completely in red and white), ambience, customer service and
extensive choices on offer, Zedds promises its customers a wholesome shopping delight in its stores.

Justifying its expansion strategy during a downturn, Rajesh Rawtani, director, Zedds states that the
company was, in fact, looking for an opportunity to expand in a slowing economy. “We actually want
to cash in on the slowdown. It is a time when one can actually gain an entry into the right markets,”
says Rawtani.

The concept
Conceptualised way back in 1994, this Rs 150 crore footwear manufacturer opened its first exclusive
store located at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. But thereafter the company halted its exclusive retail
outlet expansion and focused on retailing through only multi-brand outlets. However, fifteen years
down the line, the company realised that the only way to capture market share and attract customer
attention is to invest in the exclusive brand store format and appropriately planned an aggressive
expansion strategy for the next three years time. As part of the plan, the company will partner with
franchisees to expand across nine cities in India for the time being.

Merchandise and price points

Zedds has a strong production base and offers a wide range of styles and sizes in footwear. Rawtani
informs that the company introduces around 27 new designs every month. “We also add an
extensive range during summer and winter. We are currently working on a six seasons’ concept (two
seasons — summer and winter — in one year) for three years from now,” he states. He further
claims that the materials used for Zedds footwear are premium in terms of quality and design and
are different from the products of its counterparts. “We are in sync with international brands,”
Rawtani states.

The price range varies from Rs.795 to Rs.2,400 for each pair. While the women’s footwear range
starts from Rs.795 and goes up to Rs.1,500, the men’s collection goes up to Rs.2,400. The company
targets upper middle, elite and corporate customers in between 18 to 50 years of age, clarifies
Rawtani.

Zedds Store, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

Location: Jubilee Hills, Road No 2, opposite KBR National Park

Size: 1,500 square feet
Designer: In-house design team
Interior design: Vivid Interiors
Architecture and facades: Sourced locally
Decorative and props: Sourced locally
Digital media: The Art Department
Signage and graphics: The Art Department
POS equipment: HCL

Promoting the brand

As part of the plan, Zedds has tied up with entertainment majors — PVR and Cinemax — to promote
its products through kiosks across their locations in India. “The kiosks are of 15x18 square feet in
size. As we have seen, at least 80 out of 100 people coming to watch movies are going forward to
the display counters,” says Rawtani. He explains that the concept of displaying products at these
locations works very well in further drawing the customer’s interest to visit the full-size stores.

Given the apparent success of the concept, the company, which currently operates four such kiosks,
is planning to add another 10 kiosks this fiscal, including five in Maharastra and three in Indore and
Jaipur. The company is also tying up with FM channels like Big FM and Radio Mirchi to promote the
brand across India.

Segment entry
Zedds displays little interest in adding kids’ footwear to its portfolio in the near future. However,
Rawtani informs that the company is working on designs of bags and accessories to expand its
existing offer. “High-end bags, exclusive belts and leather products are the categories that we want
to add in the near future,” he corroborates.

The roadmap
As part of its aggressive expansion policy, the company is keen in partnering with franchisees and is
also in talks with department stores including Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop as well as Central Mall of
Future Group. The company plans to open around 15 outlets including nine franchised stores in the
next three years. “We are planning to enter nine cities with franchise partnerships in one year from
now. In the first phase of expansion, we invite franchisees in cities such as Pune, Bengaluru,
Mumbai, Indore, Jaipur and Nagpur,” Rawtani informs. He further states that for the proposed
expansion the company would prefer malls where footfalls are very high, but it wouldn’t mind
opening stand-alone stores as well, provided the locations are appropriate.

The company is looking at a turnover of around Rs.2 - 2.5 crore from its retail operations this fiscal.
Also, the company, which claims around 17 per cent market share in south India, targets around 42
per cent share in the same market in three years’ time and around 30 per cent share in the pan-India
market during the same period.

Nolte - makes life live better!

By Sangita Ghosh

22 Jun 2009

The story has been read 838 times.

 Nolte Group, a 620 million Euro manufacturing company that has a heritage of 85 years is one
of the largest and fastest growing furniture companies in the world. Nolte has the reputation
for pioneering the production line technique in the manufacture of furniture, forever revolutionising
the industry worldwide.

Nolte-Möbel GmbH & Co. KG is today the second largest producer of fitted kitchens in Germany and
one of the 5 leading manufacturers of wardrobes and bedroom ranges in Europe. The company is a
fully integrated furniture company, where it is involved in all stages of the business from
manufacturing the chipboards that constitutes the completed kitchen and bedroom units to its
delivery at the customer's end, completing the cycle with the recycling of used chipboards.

The Nolte range of products, which is manufactured exclusively in Germany, is marketed through its
network of 20,000 retail outlets around the globe. All Nolte kitchens are certified by various reputed,
neutral institutes for safety including the GS Certification and thus the kitchen surfaces are also
treated as component parts in accordance with the DIN 68861 standards.

Concept and offerings

Manufactured only in Germany, Nolte products available in India comprise a wide range of kitchens,
completely co-ordinated bedrooms and walk-in wardrobes and even entertainment consoles,
cabinets and book shelves from the brand Gwinner. The range also includes designer bedrooms from
JOOP!, which is Germany's largest fashion brand.

Recently the brand opened its fourth exclusive concept store 'Nolte Home Studio' at Jubilee Hills in
Hyderabad and also makes its entry into the city.

"Nolte has always stood for quality, style and innovation. Although we are in over 40 of the most
developed countries, our interest in India is special and the last three years have proved to us that
the market is growing, even in this global downturn,” said Manoj Gupta, director, Nolte Hyderabad.
Unlike many other international players, Nolte is catering to a wider market – from the mid to the
mid-upper end, for both lifestyle apartments and high-end villas, added Gupta. "Moreover, with our
inimitable commitment to quality, we are confident of being able to cater to the Indian consumer
who is in-sync with the latest in lifestyle and fashion trends of Europe,” further viewed Gupta.

In Nolte customers are assured of world-class design, style, functionality and perfection with the
wide and latest range. With 85 of pioneering innovation and style, Nolte today spans the globe, from
the USA and Europe to the Gulf and Japan. Given the design, production expertise and flexibility,
Nolte is found today in some of the finest projects across the world like Highburry (UK), Parkvadi
(Turkey), Sama Towers (Dubai), I-Tai City (Taiwan) apart form key projects in Bangalore and Mumbai
in India.

While the company sets design trends in our European markets, the products have also been
designed to Indian needs. Specially designed software, a team of design professionals, German
consultant designers, German-trained installers and an evaluation process helps homeowners and
professionals arrive at the right solution amidst the wide variety.
Nolte Kitchens offer high levels of storage, friendly innovative features, and plenty of space that
makes the kitchen a warm, inviting hub. Basic Nolte design uses many concepts that are distinct viz.
'Silent Comfort' or soft closing that ensures that even if you bang the closets shut it will make a soft
sound; Lip sealing along the edges, which keep dust and insects out and is colour coordinated and
hence unseen; interior and exterior finishes are matched.

The Nolte kitchen is suited for the Indian heavy cooking and frying styles and come with a warranty
of 5 years.

Nolte Bedrooms are stylish and completely coordinated. Wardrobes are organised with sliding,
hinged or folding doors, beds, side-tables and chest of drawers designed and engineered the
German way are available in a wide range of shapes, styles, sizes, colours and finishes. With
innumerable features to suit the idea of convenience, utility and lifestyle of the customer, Nolte
offers various features with Security Locks, an additional feature introduced specially for Indian
homes. Also, higher wardrobes, akin to 'lofts' were introduced for India.

Nolte is prepared to cater to the both the sprawling bungalow as well as a smaller apartment space.
Since all Nolte solutions are modular in nature, one can add on additional kitchen cabinets or
wardrobe space even after years, making it cost-saving and efficient.

India venture
Before launching in Hyderabad, Nolte already had two stores in Bangalore and one in Mumbai and
now plans to open four to five stores in the financial year 2009-10 with Delhi, slated as being the
next, later this year.

The Group, made its foray in India with the opening of its first concept store in Bangalore in 2006 in
partnership with the SJR Group, a Bangalore based real estate developer. Now the brand is planning
to focus on the Indian market through its exclusive concept stores called 'Nolte Home Studio' across
the country with a wide range of furniture collections and kitchen setup modules, says Suchita
Talwar, director, Nolte Home Studio, India.

According to her, "Indian customers today are well travelled and have discerning taste for good
quality, design and value. And that is precisely what Nolte offers."

The Nolte Home Studio at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad is spread over an area of 4,500 sq. ft. and
showcases the latest collection of Germany's noted fashion label 'JOOP' beside Nolte's own
collection.

"Nolte will cater to the discerning Hyderabadi consumers with the latest range, straight from
Europe. In our growing global retail presence in India, Hyderabad is itself a significant market,"
commented Gupta.

The price range of furniture for bedrooms starts from Rs 1.25 lakhs to 13 lakhs and for kitchens from
Rs 2 lakhs and can go up to as high as even Rs 35 lakhs depending on sizes, combinations and
finishes. "The future of luxurious, high-priced products in India is bright where the decisive factor
would be quality and longevity," says Talwar. For the Hyderabad studio, Nolte has a targeted
turnover of six crores for current fiscal, informs Gupta.

Nolte Hyderabad
Location: Plot No. 41/B, Road No. 5, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
Area:. 4,500 sq. ft
Store Designer/Architect: Kraftwerk, Nolte India, Nolte Germany
Merchandise mix: German and Indian suppliers
Store Designer/Architect: Mohan Consultants
Lighting (Supplier/Brand): Wipro
Flooring (Supplier/Brand): Stoneman Flooring
Display Systems (Supplier/Brand): From Nolte

Looking forward
"Our research shows that in the coming two years the size of the Indian furniture market will grow
to €2 million. Indian customers have a discerning taste for good quality and design and that is
precisely what Nolte offers," observes Gupta.

Supporting Gupta, Tawar further stated, "We see India as a very potential market and the last three
years of our operation supports our view. Our product and price range cater to a wide range of
customers from the middle to the upper class in the Indian context."

According to Nolte, the brand is expecting a turnover of Rs 100 crore in India by 2011. "We are also
looking at a Delhi launch in the next three months and then Chennai will be our target,” informs
Talwar.

Mother Earth – Back to Nature

By Nishi Roy

22 Jun 2009

The story has been read 993 times.

Industree and the Future Group recently launched Mother

Earth, an 11,000 square feet flagship store in the centre of
Bangalore’s cosmopolitan residential areas Indiranagar and
Koramangala Intermediate Ring Road. The store has a wide
range of carefully selected merchandise that helps build
environment and social sustainability under the categories of
home, apparel and food. Mother Earth sources a large part of
its merchandise from rural producers and fair trade partners
and thus encourages green, artesian skills, which eventually help in providing non-farm based
incomes to its rural masses.

The exterior cladding of red-Sal wood of the store is one of the arresting design features, which
attract the attention of the shopper as soon as he/she approaches the outlet. Apart from being a
cheaper alternative to the composite aluminium which is mostly used by the builders, this red-sal
wood is grown in plantations and secondary forests and therefore, does not contribute to
deforestation.

The east façade of the building and the clear-window-glass allows for a plenty of natural light to
stream into the shop and thus reduces the need for artificial lighting. Open-able windows in the
south and west facades give ample opportunity for cross ventilation inside the outlet, and thus not
only lower the need for air-conditioning, but most importantly make the shop naturally ventilated
and aired.

The rough slate flooring, sustainable wood fixtures and raw MDF finished with wax/ linseed oil is
aesthetically designed across three floors. The ground floor houses organic food, personal care
products, men’s apparel and gifts. The first floor is dedicated to women and youth and includes
apparel, accessories and jewellery. The second floor, apart from having an extensive selection of
home décor and linen, also includes a small café where shoppers can lounge around with
organically-prepared snacks and hot/cold beverages.

Conversational in nature, the in-store signages focus on sharing experiences of consumers and the
choices they make, rather than announcing the benefits to the producers and the environment.
Skills, materials, crafts, organic food and innovations are all explored through dialogues that feature
through the store. A material gallery showcases craft skills from across the country and the heritage
section features floor tiles made in natural materials.

To lower their carbon-footprint imprints, a conscious effort has been made to source materials from
areas in close proximity– for instance, the stone is from nearby Hoskete and glass from Chennai.

In response to a query as to what was the inspiration behind the Mother Earth Store, Neelam
Chhiber, managing director of Mother Earth, said, “INDUSTREE is dedicated to providing rural
livelihoods in India through the artisanal sector, producing contemporary products. It has a for-profit
design, distribution, retail and export model, while the production base is in the process of being
converted to a producer owned base.”

“The producer company base is being coordinated by the not-for-profit Industree Crafts Foundation.
It is envisaged that eventually an artisanal MFI would be seeded to fund the working capital
requirements of these companies. MFIs globally, are currently highly localised, while markets are
highly globalised. The current strategy being employed is the conversion of the for-profit brand
entity, into becoming part producer owned, while the production base belongs proportionally, more
to producers. This is the best self-empowerment tool, eventually ensuring producers move up the
value chain, towards higher wages, with the help of self governance on quality and productivity
issues, extremely crucial in this sector,” he added.
According to Chhiber, Mother Earth is being promoted so as to mainstream this thinking within the
Indian consumer, so he /she comes of age, being provided with a conscious consumption source.
What better than to link these principles which are green in their thinking to green products,
products those are good for the producers as well as the environment, he asks. “There can be no
green movement in India unless it looks at social improvements. Mother Earth aims to do just that.
Keeping this in mind, Industree was moved to approach Future Group to take a stake in it, to enable
it to compete with other players in modern retail. This partnership is sure to make Mother Earth a
strongly performing brand.”

Mother Earth, Bangalore

Designer: Jacob Matthew, Idiom

Architecture and Facades: Wooden cladding
Fixtures: Dovetail/ Inhouse
Flooring: Slate sourced locally
Furniture: Inhouse / Dovetail – MDF waxed
Lighting: Natural light supplemented by CFL, CDMT
Mannequins and Forms: Made inhouse in cane
External Signage: Sunboard
Internal Signage – Screen printed MDF; Printed paper graphics mounted on MDF
POS equipment: Software – Shoper 9; Hardware -- Acer

Merchandise
Mother Earth’s eclectic range of products includes organic and natural foods, home and personal
care, gifts, home decor and apparel. These are all sold under sub-brands of Earth Home, Earth Food
and Earth Fashion.

Besides a large number of the products being designed in-house, or in collaboration with craftsmen,
the store is also the umbrella for a lot of other NGOs, studios and craftspeople who have their own
designs and merchandise.

Earth Home works with traditional artisans and craft skills. This sub-brand helps to redesign existing
products and allows them to enjoy a natural synergy within a contemporary, urban living
environment. Wide range of products for the living room, dining room, bed room, knick-knacks
(traditional gold leaf painted marble), furnishings (appliqué worked, block-printed and fine kantha
embroidered bed covers and cushion covers), curtains, crockery(hand-painted ceramic tableware),
toys (natural lacquer coloured wooden toys and games, made with palm leaves) accessories and gifts
are included under the Earth Home sub-brand.

Earth Food includes a wide variety of natural and organic cereals, lentils, flour, spices, dry-fruits,
snacks and even vegan ready-to-eat. On offer are original mixes like the Kancheepuram idli
(traditional ingredients are blended to create idlis that bring home the traditional taste of
Kancheepuram). This sub-brand also extends to a range of organic teas, coffees, baby food, and even
herbal and natural home care and personal care products.
Earth Fashion is all about eco-friendly style, comfort and beauty. The Earth Fashion range gives the
environmentally-aware-consumer the option of blending traditional weaves and prints with
contemporary styling and silhouettes (for eg, Block prints in tunics, conventional handloom ikkats in
office wear, bohemian Moroccan pants in traditional prints etc). Apart from a large variety of
garments available from natural fibres – 100% cotton (even 100 percent organic-cotton, Zeme),
linen, handloom or hand-block-printed, or hand-embellished manufactured by SHG’s NGO’s and
rural artisans, this sub-brand also includes precious, semi-precious and fashion jewellery.

All products available carry forward the ethos of the store; products sourced and developed are
natural, healthy and cost-effective and provide opportunities to the rural community. To facilitate
them in this, Industree has partnered with leading Indian NGOs and fair trade partners like SEWA,
SASHA, CFM, ANT, SADHANA, SAHAJ, DARAM, that work across states in India.

Negating the perception that eco-friendly/organic products are priced higher than usual, Chhiber
says, “The products have been priced very competitively and can be benchmarked against any
mainstream retailer.”

Looking forward
“The customer response has been great. We have realised that the customer is looking for products
that are well priced, stylish and guilt-free. We have focused on bringing value to the customer who is
very aware of issues relating to the environment, social and economic sustainability,” Chhiber says.

“Currently, Bangalore is the first such store in the country. Our current stores in Kolkata and Delhi
are also changing to Mother Earth. Further, we plan to launch 12 large format stores and another 24
small format stores in the next five years” he informs.

IMAGES Shopping Centre Awards 2010

06 May 2010

The story has been read 2444 times.

India Shopping Centre Forum (ISCF), a two-day conference

organised by IMAGES Group, is an unparalleled platform for
the shopping centre development business in India Offering a
comprehensive view of the country’s most exciting retail real
estate projects, occupier concepts and support services. The
IMAGES Shopping Centre Awards acknowledge and honour
achievements in the creation of large-scale retail and
entertainment spaces across India. IMAGES is proud to present
the winner's gallery of the IMAGES SHOPPING CENTRE AWARDS 2010.
 
 
1. Most Admired Shopping Centre of the Year – Non Metros

Winner: Treasure Island (Indore)

B S Nagesh, vice chairman, Shopper's Stop Limited presented the award to Avnish Hasija, executive
VP Leasing EWDL.
 

Nominees: 
 
 

 Iscon Mega Mall

 The Westend Mall

 Forum Mart, (Bhuvaneshwar)

 Fun Republic, (Lucknow)

 Treasure Island (Indore)

 Centre Square Mall

2. Most Admired Shopping Centre of the Year (up to 5 lakh sq ft GLA) 

Winner: Select Citywalk (Delhi)

Thomas Varghese, CEO, Aditya Birla Retail Limited presented the award to Neeraj Ghei, director,
Select Infrastructure and Yog Raj Arora, director Select Infrastructure.

Nominees: 
 
 

 City Centre, Salt Lake (Kolkata)

 The Forum (Bangalore)

 Treasure Island (Indore)

 City Center, Gurgaon

 Inorbit Mall (Malad, Mumbai)

 Select Citywalk (Delhi)

3. Most Admired Shopping Centre of the Year (more than 5 lakh sq. ft GLA) 

Winner: Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)

Phil McArthur, senior VP, India Ivanhoe Cambridge, and Tushar Dhingra, COO, Big Cinemas
presented the away the award to Deepti Goel, head, Leasing Ambience Mall.

Nominees:
 
 

 Oberoi Mall (Mumbai)

 High Street Phoenix (Mumbai)

 South City Mall (Kolkata)

 Great India Place (Noida)

 Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)

4. Most Admired Shopping Centre of the Year - Speciality Mall

Winner: DLF Emporio (Delhi)

Dr Sumas Wongsunopparat EVP, Corporate Strategy Office Central Pattana, Thailand, and Vishal
Mirchandani, Provogue India Ltd. presented the award to Sudeep Chhabra, head marketing, DLF
Emporio.

Nominees:
 
 

 Homeland Mall (Kolkata)

 Gold Souk (Gurgaon)

 The Collection (UB City, Bengaluru)

 Ishanya (Pune)

 DLF Emporio (Delhi)

5. Most Admired Shopping Centre of the Year – Metros (population 40 lakh plus)

Winner: Select Citywalk (Delhi)

Sunil Biyani, director, Future Group presented the award to Neeraj Ghei, director, Select
Infrastructure and Yog Raj Arora, director, Select Infrastructure.
Nominees:
 
 

 The Forum (Bengaluru)

 South City Mall (Kolkata)

 Select Citywalk (Delhi)

 Inorbit Mall (Malad, Mumbai)

 Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)

 Great India Place (Noida)

6: Most Admired Shopping Centre Launch of the Year – North

Winner: Alpha One (Amritsar)

Jayant Kochar received the award on behalf of Alpha One from Anil Makhija, VP SKIDATA India Pvt
Ltd and Wolfgang Pekarek, Senior Sales Manager/ Business Development Car Access.

Nominees: 
 
 

 Alpha One (Amritsar)

 DLF Promenade

 The Celebration Mall (Amritsar)

 Gold Souk Grande

 DLF Place Saket (Delhi)

 

7: Most Admired Shopping Centre Launch of the Year – South

Winner: Mantri Square (Bengaluru)

Mikio Suzuki, Amtech Exim Indoor Recreation and Anchalee Suzuki presented the award to Jermina
Menon, GM Mall Marketing, Mantri Developers

Nominees:
 
 

 Mantri Square (Bengaluru)

  Ampa Skywalk (Chennai)

 GVK One

 Forum Value Mall

 Inorbit, Hyderabad

8: Most Admired Shopping Centre Launch of the Year – West

Winner: Palladium (Mumbai)

Bollywood directors Pankaj and Asmita Parashar presented the award to Rajendra Kalkar, centre
director, The Phoenix Mills Limited.

Nominees:
 
 

 Palladium (Mumbai)

 Magneto

 Korum (Thane)

 R-City Mall (Mumbai)

 Jewel Square

9 : Most Admired Shopping Centre of the Year - Marketing & Consumer Promotion

Winner: Inorbit Mall, Malad

Kishore Bhatija, MD, Inorbit and Nishank Joshi, AGM Corporate Communications, Inorbit and
received the award from Shilpa Malik, co-founder and CEO, Starcentres and Pranay Sinha, MD,
Starcentres.

Nominees:
 
 

 Inorbit Mall (Malad, Mumbai)

 Select Citywalk (Delhi)

 Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)

 The Forum (Bangalore)

 Alpha One (Amritsar)

  Celebrations (Amritsar)

10: Most Admired Shopping Mall of the Year - Best ROI For Retailers

Winner: The Forum (Bengaluru)

Gaurav Mahajan, COO, Westside and Christopher Lanksbury, director, Chapman Taylor presented
the award to S Raghunandhan, CEO, Prestige Retail Group.

Nominees:
 
 

 Select Citywalk

 Ambience

 Inorbit

 High Street Phoenix

 Metropolitan Mall

 The Forum (Bengaluru)

 Chennai City Centre

11. Most Admired Shopping Centre Developer of the Year

Winner: Inorbit Mall Pvt Ltd.

Amitabh Taneja, chief convenor, ISCF and head, IMAGES Group presented the award to Kishore
Bhatija, MD Inorbit and his team.

Nominees:
 
 

 Prestige Group

 DLF

 Inorbit Mall Pvt Ltd

 Phoenix Mills

 EWDL

 Kshitij Property Solutions Pvt Ltd

  Bengal Ambuja

 Ambience Group

— IndiaRetailing Bureau

Retail Courses

Retail management course is arguably the ‘most happening’ specialisation course today, much to the
annoyance of generalists in fact. The fuelling factor has been, no points for guessing, the retail
boom. The sprouting of chains like Sabka Bazaar, Subhiksha, Reliance Fresh has today led to
employment generation at the lower end, but it has also created openings in the management
cadre. This has led to a demand for trained MBAs with knowledge in this domain, and management
institutes have been quick to fill the gap by starting courses catering to the sector.