22 |^ Progressive Grocer^ |^ Ahead of What’s Next^ |^ July 2019
Cover Story
time. As an active player of the cash and carry
segment, we feel that a complete online transition
will still take time for smaller entrepreneurs and
Kirana customers. Th us, retailers need to look at a
combined online-offl ine approach for a sustainable
business model.Tell us about the latest initiatives
concerning LOTS’ support & partnership
programs for kirana traders, farmers and
women entrepreneurs?
Our primary eff orts in India are concentrated
towards community and people development.
As responsible business partners, we have been
sharing our growth benefi ts with our member
base including small retailers, kiranas and traders
at large. Our customer-centric initiatives have
also benefi tted upcoming entrepreneurs including
women, start-ups, etc. to leverage their products
and services to their benefi t and increase their
overall business growth. We provide a sustainable
ecosystem for kiranas, farmers and small suppliers
and lend support to home-grown brands, which
are an essential part of our region-specifi c business
strategy. Th is approach is also extended to the daily
needs and grocery section of our product range.
As a part of our farmer engagement programme,
all eff orts are made to source fresh produce from
local farming communities, which help themget better returns while reducing wastage during
transportation and storage. We are also working
towards creating a market for start-ups and smaller
brands in the fi eld by providing them with a
credible launchpad.Looking ahead five years from now, how do
you visualize the F&G industry landscape
in India and where do you see LOTS India in
the future perspective of things?
India is one of the most favorable retail hotspots
due to extensive retail expansion supported
by economic growth, increasing consumer
consumption, rising urbanisation and increasing
spending power. Th e overall organised India retail
market is currently valued at the US $60 billion, out
of which food and grocery accounts for the largest
share of the revenue. Th e government has also
played a strong role by supporting this segment and
creating better opportunities in the sector. Riding
on these factors, we are leveraging our international
market expertise to provide high quality products
and services to our customers.
In India, we have noticed that food and grocery
retailing is still dominated by general stores, kiranas
and convenience stores. Th is was a strong indication
to us that we could use this opportunity to be
an active contributor and supporter of the whole
ecosystem. Th e organized retail expansion has
grown from mega cities to smaller towns as well
as villages. Th is further complements our vision
to launch 15 wholesale distribution centers across
northern India catering to a larger audience with
high quality food and grocery services.How would you describe your strengths and
best achievements so far?
Our success story in India so far has been led by
four strategic cornerstones – increased accessibility,
targeted region-specifi c strategy, focus on home-
grown brands and our cluster approach. Our
customers’ encouraging response has been a strong
force of inspiration for us. Going by our growth
trajectory, we have already successfully acquired
1,40,000 customers in the fi rst six months of
our operations. Th is is a testament to our hard
work backed by our strong market expertise and
diff erentiated services. We have also fared well on
customer satisfaction with our delivery turnaround
time spanning anywhere between 12 to 36 hours,
almost at par with the e-commerce market.
Our innovative customer campaigns have also
been instrumental in attracting a large customer
pool leading to repeat purchases at our stores.
Th ese campaigns go beyond just business narratives
by also building excitement within the LOTS
community. India is one of our key focus markets
and we are thoroughly invested in organising and
growing the retail industry here.We deliver daily
on our promise
to pass on extra
benefits to our
customers.
In order to
generate
value for our
audience,
we have also
been creating
customized
marketing
campaigns that
help educate
customers on
our latest deals
and offerings.