18 |^ Progressive Grocer^ |^ Ahead of What’s Next^ |^ July 2019
Cover Story
We believe that
for a business to
succeed, there
must be a ‘pull’
effect from the
customer’s end,
which can only
be created if
you are closely
listening to them.
At LOTS, we are
committed to
regularly taking
feedback to
improve our
services.
basis the demand and demography of various
regions. Based on our retail expertise, we want
to populate targeted areas with multiple stores
so that we can cater to our business customers
eff ectively. In line with our cluster approach, all
our stores are well-connected with various means
of transport, increasing our customers’ convenience
and their frequency of store visits. For instance, all
our stores in Delhi-NCR region are within 20-
minutes from customer catchments and are well
connected with various means of transports, making
it convenient for consumers to shop with us on a
regular basis.How do you look at the growth rate of
the wholesale cash and carry trade in
India in relation to the pace of growth in
modern retail and how do you evaluate
the opportunities and challenges for this
format in the country?
India’s B2B retail market has proven to be
profi table for domestic as well as global retailers.
With the sector’s immense growth potential, the
industry is set to grow to US$1.1 trillion by- With a captive base of 12 million retailers
and a growing HoReCa segment, India’s high
potential market is backed by favourable policy
reforms such as FDI in retail, GST and RERA.
Th is, in turn, has created opportunities for
brands like us to implement our global strategies
in transforming the retail narrative in India.
Following this upward growth trend, we are aiming
to tap into India’s organised retail trade, which
currently comprises less than 10% of the total $
billion retail business.
Being a developing country, the market poses
initial challenges for the retail sector, including
adequate supply chain, real estate and the required
infrastructure. Given the complex nature of
the Indian market, it is imperative that global
companies understand their uniqueness and adapt
accordingly. With our 30 plus year expertise in the
B2B retail segment and understanding of customers
need, we are equipped with a unique approach to
adjust to the current market conditions, which
will further enable us to reinforce our position as a
global leader.As head of LOTS’ operations in India,
what is your current focus and business
game plan?
As part of our growth plans, we are aiming to
capture the largest market share in India by
bringing in new technologically driven practices
to organise the current retail segment. Having
launched three stores in just over a span of six
months of operations, we are one of the fastest
growing B2B retailers and are headed towards an
even more robust expansion. Over the next three
years, we are looking at opening 12 new stores in