Bharti Retail has planned to focus its expansions on Punjab and then move on to consolidate its position in northern India. The company is concentrating on its small-format stores, but will soon launch large formats as well.
“Our focus right now is Punjab and to consolidate our presence in North India,” Bharti Retail President and CEO Vinod Sawhney told media on the sidelines of ‘Transforming Retail in India’, a CII event.
The company also plans to have bigger formats like compact medium and hypermarkets. “At present, we are learning from the experiences of the new stores and are concentrating on smaller formats. Soon, we will roll out larger formats as well,” informed Sawhney.
The company has recently announced the launch of its food-and-grocery stores under the brand name Easy Day, in Ludhiana and Punjab.
The company will also focus on private labels at Easy Day stores. “As somebody who is entering the retail market, we will be looking at private labels also,” said Sawhney. Easy Day is a neighbourhood format store and offers a wide range of FMCG products.
Bharti, with a joint venture with Wal-Mart, is expected to open its first cash-and-carry store by the end of 2008.
