With plans to scale up operations in India and have its presence across the country, Spar will make an investment of Rs.550 crore over the next two years.
Speaking exclusively to IndiaRetailing, Viney Singh, MD, Max Hypermarkets, said, “The company plans to open 30 stores by 2013 at an investment of Rs.550 crore.”
He further informed the company plans to have 15 stores by March 2012 in cities such as Pune, Coimbatore, Gurgaon, Bhopal and Raipur, among others, and more stores in Hyderabad and Bangalore.
Talking about the share of private labels in Spar’s total revenues, the MD of Max Hypermarkets said, “The Spar food private labels currently account for 16 per cent of the total food sales. This is likely to grow to 25 per cent by March 2013.”
In this financial year, Singh said, Spar will have 500 food SKUs, including dry groceries, staples, spices and dry fruits, which will grow to around 600 by the end of the next fiscal.
In the non-food category, a large number of SKUs have been added in addition to pressure cookers, non-stick ware, towels, curtains, bedsheets, quilts and comforters. A range of dress materials, as well as belts, handkerchiefs, socks, micro-fibre pillows and cushions, are also available under the “Spar Diva” label. Co-branding with Bombay Dyeing for men’s ready to stitch wear and with Dukes Leisure wear is also underway, Singh informed.
Spar follows a licence agreement between Dubai-based Landmark Group’s Max Hypermarkets India Pvt Ltd and Spar International in India. It currently operates six hypermarkets in the country.
– Shubhra Saini
