Bharti Wal-Mart is working with 116 private brand suppliers in India and its focus, the company states, is on impacting the small local suppliers. In an exclusive interview, Arti Singh, vice-president, Corporate Affairs at Bharti Wal-Mart states, ” In India, we are working with about 116 private brand suppliers, 70 per cent of whom are SMEs (small and medium enterprises). We are a strong supporter of SMEs as a sustainable business model and this is in keeping with our philosophy of ‘Saving Money to Live Better’.”
Singh clarifies on the reports, which informed that the wholesaler is facing opposition on the trademark registration of its private label brands, “Our trademark names have been arrived at after extensive market research and customer preference. As such, we have developed all our products keeping in mind the needs and preferences of the consumers in India. For example, Astitva is the brand name for our Indian ethnic products. It is a brand which helps Indian consumers connect with rich traditions and cultures across India. The product range, as a matter of fact, has been well-received by the customers.”
“Wal-Mart operates with multiple private brands around the world. We treat each market as unique and India in this respect is no different.”
How would Bharti Wal-Mart private labels would make a difference to existing equations in Indian market? Singh responds, “It is our mission to help the lowest common denominator, that is small local supplier. For instance, there is a supplier in Punjab who is keen on supplying honey but does not know how to package teh product to make it suitable for the retail market. So we, along with other providers, help him. We sell his honey but thge honey can now be sold in other parts of the country and in wholesale markets. With us, he is supplying under the brand ‘Great Value’, our international private brand.”
— Bhavya Misra
