Bharti & Wal-Mart join hands for wholesale business
22 Aug '07
4 min read
The first wholesale cash-and-carry facility is targeted to open by the end of next year. Over the next seven years, the venture is expected to open 10 to 15 wholesale cash-and-carry facilities and employ approximately 5,000.
A typical facility will stand between 50,000 and 100,000 square feet and sell a wide range of fruits and vegetables, groceries and staples, stationery, footwear, clothing, consumer durables and other general merchandise items.
Bharti Wal-Mart Private Limited will bring modern supply chain and back-end logistics expertise to India, bringing Wal-Mart's global best practices in such areas as just-in-time inventory, retail information systems, cold chain infrastructure, GPS for truck and trailer tracking, and fuel management systems.
In addition, Bharti Enterprises' 100% subsidiary Bharti Retail, that will own and manage the retail stores, has entered into a franchise agreement with Wal-Mart which will provide technical support to Bharti Retail.
Rajan Bharti Mittal, Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises said, “Creating a strong back-end infrastructure will be one of the critical components in the development of modern retailing in India."
"This partnership is committed to bringing in world-class processes and technologies in the area of supply chain, logistics and cold chain that will be bring immense value to retailers, both big and small, across the country and ultimately benefit the entire retail ecosystem through better quality, and more choice at better prices.”
“One of the key reasons for Wal-Mart's international success is the fact that in every location where we operate, we are local,” said Raj Jain, Country President for Wal-Mart's operations in India, who will oversee the India joint venture.
“We source local products from local suppliers that appeal to local tastes, needs and fashions. As a wholesale cash-and-carry business, our endeavor is to work with and develop local suppliers and create local beneficiaries along the supply chain. It is our hope that big and small retailers and businesses will be our customers, take advantage of the efficiencies we provide and derive significant benefits for their businesses.”
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