Retail Insight on September 5th Oct 2009

October 5, 2009

News for the retail industry

News

Pantaloon books 22-mn sq ft space, to spend more on fashion Business Standard Kishore Biyani-led Pantaloon Retail India has booked a total of 22-million sq ft of retail space and plans to make 3-million sq ft operational every year over the next 3-4 years.

McDonalds to spend Rs 400-500 crore to open 120 outlets TopNews McDonalds, leading Fast-food chain, intends to spend about Rs 400-500 crore over the coming three-years with the aim to establish 120 restaurants.

Future Group, Clarks to set up footwear retail JV Economic Times Kishore Biyani-promoted Future Group and leading UK shoe retailer Clarks have agreed to form a JV to retail footwear in India, in a move that will help India's largest retailer, which runs supermarket chains Big Bazaar, Central, eZone and Pantaloon, offer lifestyle footwear, a segment the retailer has failed to crack so far.

Reliance Retail to revive West Bengal projects soon Economic Times Reliance Retail, part of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, is looking at reviving its West Bengal projects "in a major way", a top official said here Saturday.

ChicKing plans 200 global outlets, 100 in India by 2012 Business Standard NRI-promoted fast food chain ChicKing Fried Chicken is planning to open 200 global outlets, including 100 in India, by 2012 with an investment of Rs 200 crore.

Rabo PE fund to buy 20% in Future's cash & carry arm Economic Times The PE fund is buying the stake held by Aadhaar Retail, the Future Group's front-end entity for rural retailing, in Rural Fairprice.

Vishal Retail to commence debt restructuring process soon Business Standard Vishal Retail had announced plans to renegotiate part of its debts with lenders and shut down around 10 of its outlets to cut cost in July.

Future Group forays into lingerie, eyes more private labels Business Standard The Future Group is foraying into the lingerie segment, with its own new brand, 'Mohena', as part of an aim to launch more private labels. The private labels will be available as shop-in-shops at the Group's existing outlets.

Retail Trends

Keventer Agro invests Rs 125 cr for first cold store chain in Bengal Business Standard Kolkata-based Keventer Agro group has invested Rs 125 crore in West Bengal's first integrated cold store chain project. The integrated cold store chain is part of Keventer's new foray into fresh foods through Keventer Fresh Limited (KFL).

Now get designer clothes in small cities Hindustan Times Start small, think big. That seems to be the mantra of fashion designer Monisha Bajaj who in her new avatar as creative consultant for a multi-brand retail store chain believes that there is a demand for designer wear in smaller cities and it's better to start from there.

Retail Insight

Zara Uses Operations Research to Reengineer Its Global Distribution Process Felipe Caro, Jeremie Gallien, .. Zara recently deployed a new process relying extensively on sophisticated Operations Research models to determine every single shipment of inventory it sends from its two central warehouses to its 1,500 stores worldwide. By taking a retail size assortment view of the store inventory, the model incorporates the link between stock levels and demand while choosing store replenishment quantities.