18.6.08

Bharti's Retail expansion on track


Bharti Enterprises’ new convenience stores have been well received by Indian shoppers and plans to ramp up its retail presence with US partner Wal-Mart remain on track.Rajan Bharti Mittal said on Tuesday that the group’s new 80,000-square-foot distribution centre in Punjab could support 200 to 300 stores of varying sizes and could also be extended. A new distribution centre further north could also be opened around the end of next year.The new stores have been pretty well received .Bharti Enterprises with interests in telecoms, agri business, insurance and retail, opened three Easy Day convenience stores in April as part of a threepronged launch on the country’s retail scene with Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s biggest retailer.Bharti Retail aims to spend $2.5 billion by 2015 in multiple-format stores including neighbourhood stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets that will compete with the likes of Pantaloon Retail India Ltd, Reliance Industries, as well as Germany’s Metro, Dutch food retailer SPAR International.Wal-Mart is providing logistical and distribution support for the retail chain and the two firms also have a joint venture to open cash and carry stores in India. Mittal said the roll-out of new 2,500 to 4,500 square feet convenience stores would gather pace in the coming months.

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