VOL. 9 | ISSUE 4 May - June 2018 - Retailers Association of India
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VOL. 9 | ISSUE 4 May - June 2018 RNI REGN No.:MAHENG/2009/33219
CEO Message
Publisher : Kumar Rajagopalan
LEVERAGE THE SMART
T
ceo@rai.net.in
Executive Editor : Shiv Joshi - shiv@rai.net.in hese are interesting times. For
Contributing Editor : Vidya Hariharan one, retail is becoming globally
vidyahariharan1311@gmail.com competitive with Indian brands
making a mark abroad and
Contributors : Akshay Kale - akshay@rai.net.in
international retailers setting up shop in
Chetan Nayak
India, bringing with them global learnings
Art Director : Deris Micheal - deris@rai.net.in
and best in class technologies. This is
Designer : Pratik Naik - pratik@rai.net.in helping stir things up for the better.
RAI Advisory Team Two, there is a marked change in consumer expectations and
Director-Retail Learning : Lawrence Fernandes behaviour. Thanks to the mobile phone and internet, consumers are
& Membership lawrence@rai.net.in getting smarter and more demanding. They expect to be recognised
Editorial Director : Dr Hitesh Bhatt by retailers when they visit, and be given specific offers, deals and
hitesh@rai.net.in services that will help them make the right choices. It is not about
Director - Finance : Gautam Jain retailing anymore, but about Me-tailing. This is pushing retailers to
& Advocacy gautam@rai.net.in introduce concepts that are much more technologically advanced
and are focussed towards individuals.
STOrai Advertisement : Kiran Shetty - kiran@rai.net.in
The good news is that there have been significant strides on the
RAI National Council technology front that can help retailers create unique propositions to
Avijit Mitra, Infiniti Retail Ltd. (Croma) attract, retain and engage customers like never before.
B A Kodandarama Setty, Vivek Ltd.
Smart Technologies are coming of age and are brimming with
B S Nagesh, TRRAIN
Bhaskar Bhat, Titan Industries Ltd unlimited possibilities from both a business as well as a consumer
Bijou Kurien, L Capital Asia standpoint.
Govind Shrikhande, Shoppers Stop Ltd What is Smart is a question that has been going through the minds
Jamshed Daboo, Trent Hypermarket Ltd of most retailers as it is also something that many consumers are
J Suresh, Arvind Lifestyle Brands Limited embracing, many times intuitively. It is with the intention of helping
Kabir Lumba, Lifestyle International (P) Ltd retailers understand this that we have themed both ReTechCon
Kishore Biyani, Future Group
as well as this issue, on the topic. Do read the issue and enjoy the
Krish Iyer, Walmart India
benefit of understanding what’s happening in this exciting world
Neville Noronha, Avenue Supermarts Ltd (D-Mart)
of retail, especially from a smart technology stand point. And don’t
Noel Tata, Trent Ltd.
forget to write to info@rai.net.in with your comments and feedback.
Pinakiranjan Mishra, Ernst & Young Pvt. Ltd.
Pranab Barua, Aditya Birla Retail Ltd.
Rafique Malik, Metro Shoes Ltd
Rahul Mehta, CMAI
Rakesh Biyani, Future Retail Ltd. Kumar Rajagopalan,
Shashwat Goenka, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group Chief Executive Officer, RAI
Vinay Nadkarni, Globus Stores Pvt. Ltd.
Printed and published by Kumar Rajagopalan for Retailers Association of India 111/112, Ascot Centre, Near Hotel ITC Maratha, Sahar Road, Sahar, Andheri (E),
Mumbai - 400099. Tel + 91 22 28269527-28, Fax +91 22 2826 9536, Email: info@rai.net.in
Printed at Jyothi Process, 63, Shiv Shakti Industrial Estate, Andheri Kurla Road, Marol, Andheri (E) Mumbai - 400 059, India. Phone: +91 22 28514084
This publication is for the purpose of information only . The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Retailers Association of India
and the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or their agents and it should not be used in substitution for
exercise of independent judgment. This report is based on the information obtained from various sources and sources believed to be reliable, however, no warranty,
express or implied, are given for the accuracy or correctness of the same and it should not be construed as such. The report contained in the publication is also not
intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase and sale of any items. No matter contained in this publication may be reproduced or copied or forwarded without
the prior written consent of the Retailers Association of India.
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 1
CONTENTS >>
04 INDUSTRY UPDATE 22 SME INSPIRATIONS
Update from the Industry CityKart Retail: Taking modern retail
to small towns
09 REPORT
A quick re-cap of RAI Workshops
10 ADVOCACY UPDATE
Policy, regulations & more
12 COVER STORY
12 Retail: What is Smart
15 A Practical Guide to Getting
Smart 26 TECHNOLOGY
18 Data Privacy in the age of Smart Starbucks: Brewing an elevated cus-
Tech tomer experience
28 MARKET WATCH
Kochi: The upcoming retail hub
34 STRATEGY
34 It’s about the difference between
buying v/s shopping
37 Expansion mistakes to avoid
2 | STOrai | May - June 2018
39 INDUSTRY CONNECT 49 SECTOR WATCH
39 Zendesk on the rise and rise Luxury Retail’s global Top five
of omni-channel in retail
42 Snapshots from Pearl Academy’s
Portfolio 2018
44 OPINION
Lessons Retail can learn from
Hospitality
52 VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Giving VM an Intelligent Push
46 TAXATION
Rules regarding anti-profiteering 56 MEMBER PROFILE
under GST in India How Red Moments captured the
Gifting market in India
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 3
Industry Update
V-MART OPENS ITS FIRST BIGBASKET TO SELL
STORE IN JAMMU COSMETICS, FRESH MEAT
O nline groceries startup BigBasket will
soon start selling branded beauty prod-
ucts and fresh meat on its platform,
challenging established brands. “We are adding a
new private label under the new category of beauty
products. We are going to have a lot of private-la-
bel play there,” said BigBasket co-founder and CEO
Hari Menon. BigBasket already sells some specif-
ic meats under its Fresho private label, but plans
to create a separate category and deeper supply
chain to focus exclusively on the business.
Apart from the new category launches, BigBasket
is ramping up its expansion plans and exploring
F
ashion retail chain V-Mart, known for taking numerous new initiatives, including an offline push
organised retail to tier-II & III cities, opened its and the launch of a subscription service.
first store in Jammu. Spread over 9,300 sq ft,
this is the brand’s fourth store in the state. Chairman
& Managing, Director, V-Mart Retail Ltd, Lalit Agarwal
SEAWOODS GRAND CENTRAL
informed that the company plans to launch more TO UNVEIL PHASE II
stores in the state.
V-Mart is dedicated to providing price less fash-
ion to consumers in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, with
little or no penetration of modern retail. “We are
sure that the new store will prove to be a milestone
in our endeavour to take fashion to the nooks and
corner of the country providing customers true
T
value for their money, which has helped V-Mart
to build the relationship with millions across the he Seawoods Grand Central Mall, located at
country,” said Snehal Shah, Sr. Vice-President, Navi Mumbai, plans to unveil phase-II by early
Marketing & Operations, V-Mart Retail Ltd. 2019, with an eye on a footfall of 10 lakh per
month by 2020. Under phase-II, being constructed
In another development at the company, the board above Seawoods Darave station, 30 retail stores
of directors at V-Mart Retail Ltd. announced the ap- will be added to the existing 300 stores, along with
pointment of Samir Misra as its Chief Operating Of- Navi Mumbai’s largest multiplex and a huge family
ficer, who will be responsible for spearheading the entertainment centre. The second phase will also
development and execution of long-term strategies consist of well-known restaurants, cafés and other
with the goal of increasing shareholder value. hospitality brands.
4 | STOrai | May - June 2018
Industry Update
WALMART INDIA LOOKS TO SCALE UP KIRANA STORE
BUSINESS AFTER FLIPKART DEAL
W
a model for mom-and-pop (kirana) store owners to
almart India is planning to scale up its
kirana store programme called Mera replicate when it comes to assortment and place-
Kirana that helps small family-owned ment. The company also sends its teams out to kira-
grocery stores modernise, while also opening a na stores to work directly with them.
new fulfilment centre as part of a pilot run in a bid “We’ve seen a lot of loyalty from kirana stores be-
to expand its cash-and-carry footprint at a faster cause they understand that we are not just selling
clip. to them we are also helping them become modern.
Walmart India has been piloting Mera Kirana over We’ve seen healthy double-digit growth in our mem-
the past four years and now wants to make it a part bership base year-on-year,” said Rajneesh Kumar,
of its mainstream business, a top executive said chief corporate affairs officer at Walmart India.
in an interview. It is also planning to open another Walmart, which earlier in May bought a 77% stake
‘dark store’ or warehouse in Lucknow. in Flipkart for $16 billion, has said in the past that
Under Mera Kirana, Walmart creates zones in it plans to open 50 new Best Price cash and car-
its Best Price wholesale stores that are designed ry stores. It currently operates 21 of these in the
to resemble a modern kirana store. They serve as country.
INDIA FAMILY MART INAUGURATES ITS 54TH STORE IN
RAIGARH, CHATTISGARH
D
elhi-based Nysaa Retail Pvt. Ltd, which op-
erates a chain of affordable fashion stores
under the brand name ‘1-India Family Mart’
across Eastern and Northern parts of India, an-
nounced the launch of its first store in Raigarh,
Chattisgarh. Inaugurated by D K Saraogi, Director,
Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, fhe store will be a one-
stop-shop for fresh fashion apparel and general
merchandise.
Speaking at the inauguration, Ravinder Singh,
Co-founder & COO, 1-India Family Mart said, requirement.” Last year, the company raised a
“The aspirational segment in the Tier II & III cit- sum of USD 6.5 million from Carpediem Capital.
ies has shown a high desirability to keep up-to- It plans to utilise the funds towards expanding its
date with the latest trends in style and fashion- presence from the existing 54 stores across East
able merchandise and 1-India Family Mart takes and North India, and strengthening technology
pride in being able to cater to our customer’s capabilities.
6 | STOrai | May - June 2018
Industry Update
KORUM MALL BAGS GOLDEN NEWS IN NUMBERS
GLOBE TIGERS AWARD 4,00,000
What is it?
The number of jobs to be created this fiscal,
according to Minister of Food Processing industries,
Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Why is it important?
The mega food parks have generated 3,34,854 jobs
in four years, benefiting 20,725 farmers, and 15
more mega food parks will be operational by end
of the fiscal, creating jobs for around 4 lakh people.
Tell me more:
Additionally, 3.4 lakh direct and indirect jobs will be
created with operations of 122 projects approved
under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana.
4% - 7%
What is it?
The estimated hike in price of consumer goods like
packaged snacks, due to the rise in fuel prices
K
Why is it important?
orum Mall, based in Thane, a suburb of
Higher priced daily-use consumer goods, coupled
Mumbai, has been awarded ‘The Golden with the oncoming school season, would leave
Globe Tigers Award’ for ‘Excellence and the average consumer with lesser funds for
Leadership’ in Shopping Mall Management in discretionary spends, affecting those segments.
the Marketing & Consumer Promotions catego- Tell me more:
ry. The Golden Globe Tigers Awards recognizes Crude oil-linked costs account for 15-20% of raw
leaders in marketing, branding, CSR & social material used in packing consumer goods.
innovation, education & academics in individu-
als and organisations. It recognises the efforts Rs 96,016 crore
of a gamut of multifunctional entities spanning What is it?
across segments and is highly industry focused. The total Goods and Service Tax (GST) revenue
The award ceremony took place at Pullman Kua- collected in May.
la Lumpur City Centre. Why is it Important?
This is Korum Mall’s 56th award across various After the April GST collection crossed Rs 1 lakh
crore for the first time, the figure took a dip in May.
categories since its inception in 2009, following
last year’s “The Most Admired Marketing Cam- Tell me more:
paign of the Year” award for its ‘Denim Fest’ Out of the total combined revenue, Central GST
campaign at the CMO Asia Shopping Malls Ex- (CGST) is Rs15,866 crore, State GST (SGST) is
Rs21,691 crore, Integrated GST (IGST) is Rs49,120
cellence Awards in Singapore. crore and cess is Rs 7,339 crore.
8 | STOrai | May - June 2018Report
A RECAP OF CUSTOMISED
WORKSHOPS BY RAI
Workshop on: Finance for Non-Finance in Retail Sector
Where: Luxottica India Eyewear Pvt Ltd, Delhi, Kolkata,
Bengaluru & Mumbai
By: Anurag Gupta, Chief Investment Officer; V. Rajesh,
Retail & Shopper behaviour Expert Consultant & Author
When: 5 – 9 March
The workshop helped Luxottica India sales teams
understand finance in a short and simple manner, In the workshop, participants learned about Retail
opening up their minds to the subject. It covered topics Resource Management through case studies on strategies
such as the introduction and concepts of finance, adopted by various retailers. Effective ways to manage
balance sheets, profit & loss accounts, working capital profitability through people, space, and inventory, were
management, and ratio analysis. brought to light using concepts in GMROI, GMROF and
GMROL. The Strategic Resource Management seminar
Workshop on: Category Management & Merchandise took an in-depth look into the ever-changing worldwide
Management retail sector by emphasizing on ways to implement
Where: ITC – Lifestyle Retail Business Division, New strategy level decisions through competitive assessment;
Delhi financial and productivity analysis.
By: Rajiv Subramanian, Country Head - Alliance and
Partnership, Breigns India Workshop on: Merchandise Management
When: 22, 23, 28 & 29 March Where: Future Lifestyle, Bengaluru
The workshop focused on understanding consumer By: Virender Gill, Product Director, Retail Planning, JDA
needs and what consumers see as a substitute. The Software Inc.
qualities a category manager must possess and the steps When: 20, 21 April
of category management were discussed, in addition
The workshop helped participants understand how
to the importance of timely performance evaluation
business strategy provides structure and direction to
and subsequent actions. Participants also worked on
assortment and financial planning. It helps planners
Merchandise Management and learned the principles
understand their role in forecasting, ordering and
of merchandising, the merchandising process, and the
allocation.
building blocks of merchandising.
The workshop also covered topics like pricing, inventory
analysis (inventory velocity and managing and creating
Workshop on: Retail Strategy & Resource Management
open to buy), operations review (planogram compliance
Where: Shoppers Stop, Mumbai
and incorporating feedback), understanding trends and
By: Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI reviewing forecasts, analyzing attributes, and sustaining
When: 19 and 20 April sales.
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 9Advocacy Update
UPDATE ON LEVY OF MINIMUM WAGES UPDATE: RELIEF FOR
SERVICE TAX ON RENTING
RETAILERS IN KARNATAKA
T
OF COMMERCIAL
PROPERTIES
R
he State Government of Kar- affect the overall retail industry. RAI, on
etailers Association of India nataka issued a notification behalf of its members, filed a Writ Peti-
(RAI) had filed a writ petition increasing minimum wages tion before the Karnataka High Court
in 2007 and again in 2010 for skilled and unskilled labour in in this regard challenging the notifica-
before the Bombay High Court chal- the state with effect from 30 Decem- tion which came up for a preliminary
lenging the constitutional validity of ber 2017. hearing on 27 April 2018.
the Levy of Service Tax on Renting Subsequently, RAI submitted repre- After hearing the matter, the Hon-
of Commercial Properties, in which sentations to Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon- ourable Court directed the Govern-
RAI Members were granted an inter- ourable Chief Minister of Karnataka to ment to not precipitate the notifica-
im relief. When the matter was dis- highlight the impact of the steep rise in tion during the pendency of the Writ
missed by the Bombay High Court, the minimum wages and how it would Petition.
to continue enjoying the benefit of
the interim order, RAI filed a Special
MAHARASHTRA APPRENTICESHIP ACT 2017
A
Leave Petition before the Supreme
delegation from RAI met Shri employment of the apprentice in all
Court against the Judgment of the
Devendra Fadnavis, Honour- shifts would make it industry friendly.
Bombay High Court.
able Chief Minister of Maha-
2. Uploading employment contract
In October 2011, the Supreme rashtra, to discuss the loop holes in
Court directed RAI members to pay (appointment letter/offer letter) direct-
the New Apprenticeship Act 2017. The
half their service tax liabilities so ly on the portal instead of generating
delegation suggested the following
that the matter could be scheduled amendments to the new act: contracts on the portal, to avoid delay
for final hearing. Subsequently, in the hiring process.
1. The Apprentice act currently
the matter was listed for hearing in The Chief Minister assured taking
doesn’t allow the apprentice to work
March 2018. Since a lot hangs in the
in shifts. Relaxation of work timings for the suggestions into consideration.
balance on the Supreme Court judg-
ment, RAI has engaged the services
CLARITY ON 365 DAYS’ OPERATIONS IN MAHARASHTRA
A
of the best counsels and lawyers to
represent the said case. s per the “Maharashtra was not being properly executed
Shops and Establishments by the law enforcement authorities.
On 5th April 2018, the Apex Court
Act (Regulation of Employ- RAI represented to the State Govern-
accepted that the matter involves
ment and Conditions of Service) ment of Maharashtra seeking clarity
constitutional validity. Furthermore,
2017”, all shops and establishments regarding the 24X7 store opening
it was held that the matter will be
can remain open 24X7, except cine- permission in the State as per the
deferred until disposal of the is-
ma halls and those that serve liquor. revised Act.
sues pending before the nine judges
These were separately notified by
bench in Mineral Area Development Subsequently, the State Govern-
the State Government.
Authority and others (Supra). As ment has issued a clarification (See
per RAI’s lawyers, since the matter Some members approached following page) that all the shops
has been referred to the nine judge RAI regarding the ambiguity in the and establishments can remain
bench, it may take considerable amended Act with respect to 24X7 open 24X7, subject to compliance
time to reach its conclusion. operating permission. The same with appropriate conditions.
10 | STOrai | May - June 2018Advocacy Update May - June 2018 | STOrai | 11
Cover Story
THE SMART SQUAD
Three technologies that have the power to take retail into the future
R
By Shiv Joshi
ecently, electronics
store chain Croma
launched its tech-
centric premium store
format – Gadgets of
Desire. The store, created with the
expert help of Networkbay Retail,
offers the ‘wider-than-store’ feature,
the immersive demo experience in
the sound category and an exclusive
IoT (Internet of Things) zone to
experience the entire IoT ecosystem.
There are murmurs in the
industry of more experience-
led stores coming up in different
formats, clearly indicating the arrival
of smart technology in Indian stores.
We spoke of Smart Technologies
redefining the backend such as
to offer consumers personalised AI-powered chatbots are ushering
supply chain and logistics in the
customer service through chatbots. in conversational commerce, touted
last issue of STOrai. In this issue,
as being the future of digital shopping.
we look at customer-facing smart A chatbot is a computer program
technologies and how they will that converses with a human using In a survey of UK retailers
impact customer experience and natural language. Though they can published in 2017, 38% of
this business. function without AI, an AI-powered respondents were already applying
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN chatbot is an extremely powerful AI to their business operations.
RETAIL customer engagement tool. It Similarly, a 2017 survey of the top
gathers intelligence from existing 500 North American retailers by
Artificial Intelligence (AI), a
data, browsing history and purchase research firm BRP found that 14%
progression in automation,
behaviour to become a virtual have already adopted AI-powered
is already transforming retail.
assistant that can talk to customers chatbots and digital assistants, while
It enables retailers to not just
(texting / talking), ask them questions a further 32% plan to introduce the
anticipate demand but predict it
and guide purchases, bringing a technology in the next three years.
by gaining a deep understanding of
consumer behaviour. Most digital- whole new level of personalisation The trend is that retailers are
first retailers are already using AI to the experience. collaborating with startups and tech
12 | STOrai | May - June 2018Cover Story
firms to apply AI to their business IoT is expected to propel expected due to issues associated
mainly in three areas: Customer innovation in stores, improve the with data privacy & security. This
Assistance, Personalisation and overall experience, and enhance hurdle notwithstanding, Cognizant
making sense of unstructured data. personalisation. It is being predicts that by 2025, The Internet
AI-based robots may also soon help increasingly used in payments of Things (IoT) will be a workhorse
retailers replace manpower on the and interactive digital signage at technology for stores, with broad
shop floors. According to market the front-end and supply chain applications throughout store aisles
research firm Tractica, revenues management at the back-end. and operations.
generated from AI worldwide are AUGMENTED & VIRTUAL REALITY
According to Global Market
expected to grow by a CAGR of 53%
Insights, increasing penetration Augmented Reality & Virtual
in the period from 2017 through
of advanced technologies such Reality are strengthening their
2025 and may touch $36.8 billion. Of
as sensors, Bluetooth Low Energy roots in e-commerce and retail.
all the technological strides in retail
(BLE), NFC and RFID tags is expected “The beautiful thing about AR
and other industries, AI is considered
to drive IoT in retail. is that it doesn’t replace people
the most powerful with wide-ranging
like robotics or automation does.
implications for business. An effective implementation
Instead, it empowers people. It is an
INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) of IoT was by Carrefour. In 2015,
investment in people,” said an AR
the chain introduced Visible Light
According to Coresight Research, IoT professional.
Communication (VLC) at its stores
in retail has the potential to transform Investment in AR and VR is also
to send promotional offers to
the way physical stores operate, investment in customer experience
shoppers based on their location in
how they are managed and how as it is the sure-shot way to offer
the store using light sources such as
they interact with customers. Signs exciting and immersive experiences
smart LED lights.
of the profound impact that digital at the store or even away from it.
technologies have on brick-and- Considering its potential, IoT According to experts, they help
mortar operations are already visible. hasn’t picked up as much as it was deepen shopping engagement,
regardless of whether shoppers own
a headset or ever plan to use one.
A case in point is the Ray Ban app
that allows consumers to overlay
any model of sunglasses onto
their faces. Sephora app allows
customers to try different kinds of
make-up and decide their look. With
the IKEA app customers can place
any piece of furniture in their homes
and check if it goes with their décor.
With AR and VR, retailers can
achieve tremendous savings in
cost as it helps re-create physical
environments without having to
actually build them. According to
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 13Cover Story
industry analysts, AR and VR will
WHY SMART TECH become a $150 billion industry by
Efficiency: Technologies like AI and IoT both help replace re- the year 2020.
petitive manual tasks. They also help retailers with more accu- GET SMART
rate demand forecasting and inventory management, resulting in
Hitherto, we have only been
marked improvement in efficiency and a significant increase in
discussing futuristic technologies
productivity. without actually having done
anything about them, often hoping
Insights: The adoption of smart devices has generated large vol-
that they are trends that will pass.
umes of unstructured data. Using this data to generate insights and
However, with the growing number of
drive business decisions is imperative. Smart technologies, es-
examples of application of AI, IoT and
pecially Artificial Intelligence, have been proven useful in making
AR/VR in actual retail environments,
sense of the data deluge to help take critical business decisions. that too right here in India, it is clear
Innovation: Smart technologies are reinventing retail across prod- that smart technologies are not mere
buzzwords. They are disruptions that
uct cataloguing, merchandising, customer experience and engage-
will catapult us into the future. The
ment, replenishment, demand forecasting, pricing, and logistics.
question is: Do we know how to ride
this wave of disruption?
14 | STOrai | May - June 2018Cover Story
GET S.M.A.R.T.
A practical guide for retailers on riding the disruption wave
W
By Siju Narayan
ith the number
of retail players
going up
dramatically,
the business of
retail has become very competitive.
To further complicate matters,
the consumer expectations have
changed because of the Internet.
Like it has done to all businesses, the
Internet has practically disrupted the
retail industry — in India and across
the world. Thanks to the internet:
1. E-commerce as a business has
taken on a near-vertical, north
bound trajectory. E-commerce
has redefined the business of
The Internet and the deluge of business roadmap to
retail most often re-writing all
associated technology innovation fundamentally embrace the
the old rules of business.
essentially meant that, to survive, an new dynamics
2. New technologies sprouted at existing enterprise had to undergo
3. Revalidates and rejigs its
the speed of thought – across digital transformation at multiple
technology infrastructure
domains and complexity levels levels. Now, the concept of digital
so that it can engage with
(IoT, AI, ML). transformation is often the elephant
customers in a seamless
3. New business models took in the room, leading to either huge,
big-bang exercises or the other manner, enabling the
birth (Uber, Aribnb, Facebook, reimagined business roadmap.
extreme—a thought paralysis that
Alibaba – to name a few).
kills the business. Simply put, digital While this may appear
4. Most importantly, consumers transformation is the process by intimidating, it really isn’t so. Besides,
truly became empowered. which an enterprise: there isn’t really an alternative!
Online channels & devices, and
1. Understands, acknowledges Before one embarks on such a
the rise of social media and
and measures the impact of fortune-altering exercise, a retailer
penetration of smart phones,
digital forces acting on it — both needs to remember a few things:
ushered in an era of ‘always
on the demand side as well as 1. Every business is unique. Even
connected’ consumers who are
the supply side
more informed, instinctive and within the same category and
influential than ever before. 2. Builds a customer-centric the same catchment.
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 15Cover Story
2. One size will not fit all. What centric strategy, you will have your view of your customers.
works for the neighbour, in all to redefine and re-architect the Who are they? What clusters
probability, will not work for technology landscape to help do they belong to? What
you. Or what worked for a same- you exceed the new, pampered behaviours do they exhibit
category market leader in the US consumer’s expectations — – across the entire purchase
will not work for you in India. across ALL the channels she journey? Build those three or
interacts with you on. You have four distinct customer personas
3. You will have to redesign your
to be omni-channel ready. that define your segments.
business strategy around your
(Understand the condition of
consumer—or set of consumers. 6. It always pays to engage the
your body – the impact of the
Consumer engagement will services of an expert who has an
changing environment; of age;
have to be the pivot on which in-depth idea about the industry
of lifestyle. Baseline your health
your business reimagines and is worldly-wise about
condition.)
itself. Reimagine customer digital-influenced interventions
engagement and relationship that worked…more importantly 2. Map the entire customer
management: Think beyond about those that didn’t! It pays journey — from awareness/
just transactions. to always have the Big Picture in research (identify need) to
perspective. engagement (the evaluation
4. Rethink and redesign your data
process) to transactions
strategy. Work towards making Once ready to embark on a
(acquiring the product or
sure you have hi-fidelity data, digital transformation journey, there
service) to customer success/
are essentially these 6 steps to go
5. You will have to invest in service (onboarding, service &
through (I believe an exercise like
technology that can help support) to advocacy (loyalty)
this is like going in for a heart valve
you achieve your business for each of the personas. (Go
replacement surgery – I will draw
objectives. And if you already through a battery of tests to
parallels at appropriate places):
have legacy technology, map out your body’s and heart’s
depending on your consumer- 1. Brainstorm and reformulate capabilities.)
3. At each of these touchpoints,
identify the enterprise
department that will be
involved to make it a positive
engagement. (Understand
and isolate the parts that need
correction – maybe the heart
valve is not functioning properly.)
4. Next, identify the technology
components/ infrastructure
needed at each of these
touchpoints that will contribute
to rendering the engagement
seamless and positive.
(Deliberate with your cardiac
16 | STOrai | May - June 2018Cover Story
surgeon and decide on the with conservative management to manage newer realities as
way forward – maybe the for the time being, while the they come up. (Regular check-
best option is to do the valve rogue valve can be replaced. The ups and diagnostic tests are
replacement.) body can handle this better.) mandatory to ensure the heart
valve is accepted by the body
5. The most important part comes c. If you have a legacy
well and to identify issues &
after you have drawn up the list infrastructure in place, figure
further interventions, if any.)
of technology interventions. out what you need to retain
I have seen successful and what can be done without. We live, as experts contend, in the
enterprises adopt the following Thence, always keep an eye on #AgeOfTheCustomer today. Thanks
approach thereafter: the part you retained to make to a fast-changing technology
sure the ‘new technologies’ you landscape augmented by the growth
a. Redraft the Big Picture
adopt sits in fair and square of devices, retail is perennially
– both from a technology
into the existing piece — unless disrupted. In such a scenario, retail
perspective as well from a
of course the new technology enterprises need to get SMART to
manning perspective. (Build
is so crucial that you don’t leverage technology and thus, ride
the full plan. For pre-surgery, the
mind even if it sticks out like a these waves of disruption. And for
surgery itself and post-surgery.)
sore thumb. In most cases, the me, SMART stands for Selecting
b. Looking at the big Modern, Adaptive & Relevant
legacy infrastructure inventory
picture and the technology Technology that helps a business
will get displaced and shaken
interventions needed, develop achieve its strategic goals by
around rudely to accommodate
a phased deployment/adoption perfectly aligning brand promise
the newer technologies.
approach. Tier the technology to consumer expectations. So get
adoption on the basis of need The key is in identifying the SMART and be successful!
(urgent or can be taken up in six impact and creating a plan to
months or oh-we-can-wait-a- mitigate the risk of disruption.
year-or-more). This is important (The heart valve, being a foreign
to stagger investment as well as body, will take time to adjust
to be structurally ready (many to the rest of the body. It will
enterprises underestimate need anti-coagulants to ensure
this part) to execute on the blood does not clot on contact.
technology led transformation Many other medications could
plan. also be needed. Decide on the Siju Narayan is a veteran of consumer
dosage and the frequency of & retail sales and marketing in India.
A big-bang approach across Having worked with blue chip Indian
these medications.)
multiple technologies and and multinational corporations, he has
across multiple disciplines in an 6. Last but not the least, put in gained expertise in managing various
enterprise puts unprecedented place an internal governance aspects of the demand and supply
pressure on the multi-hinged programme that keeps a chain. He has been involved with provid-
enterprise. (Maybe both valves hawk’s eye on the interventions ing retailers consulting and technology
need to be replaced – though effected and the big picture. solutions that help land their business
one is at a significantly higher This is important to correct plans.Currently, he is GM-APAC, Loyal-
risk than the other one. The course if necessary. Also, be ty Juggernaut Inc and a member of RAI
relatively better-off one can do forever ready to alter the course Technology Committee.
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 17Cover Story
GETTING PERSONAL
Smart technologies are giving companies insights into the customer’s shopping carts as
well as their lives. But with great knowledge comes great responsibility…
By Chetan Nayak
L
ast year alone, more
personal data was
harvested than in the
previous 5,000 years of
human history as per
Forbes. Every time, we access the
internet from our smart devices—
be it through an app, a website or
service—data about us is collected.
Google has been collecting user
data since over a decade to power its
predictive search, syncing services
and personalised suggestions.
Today, data is being collected
on a scale larger than ever. With
the help of smart technologies,
enormous amounts of data about
messages but there is apprehension To allay the paranoia and
what customers see, hear, feel, and
about the extent to which insecurity, it is the responsibility of
decide is being monitored, collected
companies know about them and the company to make sure:
and analysed as companies strive to
their behaviour. There does lie a
serve customers in a more relevant 1. Customers are made aware of
little sense of security in the fact
and personalised way. This brings what is being collected and why.
that data collected from a customer
data privacy into sharper focus Do customers actually realise what
is anonymous in an ocean full of
today than ever before.
scattered data. It remains a concern they share? Are they aware that
WHY? nevertheless. Even if customers when they check in on Facebook,
The whole world revolves around trust the company to keep their data they are letting Facebook know
data being continuously collected safely encrypted, the guarantee where they are and with whom?
and used, whether the customer of safety from third-party attacks Do they realise that when they use
likes it or not. This makes the remains a worry. Data breaches Google glasses, Google can ‘see’
customer vulnerable to a large scale at Facebook and Gmail are cases everything they do? Even apps that
of problems, from hacks to cases of in point. The general thinking is: If provide the identity of unknown
identity theft. incoming calls do so by mining your
it could happen to them, it could
Customers may like personalised happen to anyone. entire contact list.
18 | STOrai | May - June 2018Cover Story
“
“It’s the customer who defines
where lines must be drawn and IT’S THE BRAND’S RESPONSIBILITY
it is they who decide the level TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN LEVEL OF PRIVACY
of personalisation they want,”
TO PROTECT THE INFORMATION OF ITS
said Amit Sarda, Co-Founder of
Soulflower, a company that takes
CUSTOMERS. ”
personalisation to the next level —Amit Sarda, Co-Founder, Soulflower
by making products/fragrances
based on a customer’s Sun signs
and suggesting it to them as per the of data to third parties, using it data and preventing misuse is on
changing weather or time of day. It for things other than intended are those handling the data. However,
is essential that they understand all forms of data being breached. according to Hemant Agarwal,
the risks of every new service that Companies must ensure strict terms CMD, V-Bazaar Retail, “The main
they are offered. Until customers are of agreement and be vigilant about responsibility of data privacy is of
made aware of not just the data they its execution. “If a customer shares the entire organisation, not just one
are sharing, but also the various trust with a brand, it’s the brand’s department. To use data ethically
uses of the same, there will remain responsibility to take required we should unanimously make an
scepticism about data collection. efforts and maintain certain level of effort to stop misusing the same”.
privacy to protect the information of
2. Data is used for a set purpose. 4. Data collected is kept safe.
its customers,” said Amit.
Attacks from third parties is not This seems like the most basic,
the only way that data can be 3. The entire organisation is but it is the most critical aspect of
compromised. Stealing of data by made responsible. data privacy. Company should do
unscrupulous employees, selling Often, the onus of protecting whatever it takes to ensure that it
Consumers want to learn about how safe their data is with brands as they are concerned about data privacy
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 19Cover Story
GDPR: THE NEXT STEP TOWARDS
DATA PRIVACY
The General Data Protection Regulation, at its core is a new set of
rules designed to give EU citizens more control over their personal Did you know?
data. It replaces the outdated 1995 Data Protection Directive, and
Last year alone,
aims to simplify the regulatory environment for a business so both
citizens and businesses in the European Union can fully benefit more personal data
from the digital economy. Under the terms of GDPR, not only will was harvested than
organisations have to ensure that personal data is gathered legally in the previous 5,000
and under strict conditions, but those who collect and manage it years of human
will be obliged to protect it from misuse and exploitation, as well history.
as to respect the rights of data owners or face penalties.
Source: Forbes
Although GDPR has been formed for the EU, it also applies to or-
ganisations operating outside of the EU, which offer goods or ser-
vices to customers or businesses in the EU. This has resulted in
more and more companies presenting themselves as being GDPR
compliant.
“The European parliament led GDPR is going to be one of the first
regulations, applicable trans-nationally and is going to be a learn-
ing experience in terms of implementation,” said Naviin Ibhram- collection and we are yet to use
purkar, Head – Marketing & Corporate communications, Inorbit them to the fullest,” said Hemant.
Malls. “There is a distinct possibility that countries where GDPR However, there is a thin line
isn’t applicable will use it as a base framework to create their between personalisation and
own models,” he added. intrusion, which brands have to
be mindful of. Innovations are
follows the latest standards of data Head – Marketing & Corporate inevitable, but customers must be
security and that its systems are up communications, Inorbit Malls. given their space, and if required,
the choice to reject.
to date at all times. In case of a data
FINALLY
breach, it’s critical information about In the words of Naviin, “It is
Companies want to stay ahead of
people as well as the company’s crucial to inform customers with
the competition and customers
reputation on line. discrete terms and conditions as
want to be pampered. The only to how exactly that data is going
“While it’s true that data privacy way to achieve both is through big to lead to personalised services
is about minimising damage when data. If used correctly, data can and communication. Every time
attacks happen, when maintaining really help brands connect with the data is captured and used, there
data privacy, we should not just aim customer and serve them better, must be explicit, loud and often
at minimising damage, but ensure like Inorbit Mall that uses customer multiple permissions, with clear and
that we don’t reach the stage of an data to share personalised offers. simple processes to opt out.” Only
attack,” said Naviin Ibhrampurkar, “There are many advantages of data transparency will help win trust.
20 | STOrai | May - June 2018SME Inspirations
CHANGE AGENTS
Citykart Retail is quietly bringing in a transformation by taking big city fashion and a modern
retail experience to emerging India, one small town at a time
O
rganised retailing in
India has undergone
remarkable growth
in the last decade,
owing to favourable
demographics, growing consumer
aspirations and brand conscious-
ness. Out of all the categories, the
Indian fashion consumption story,
the second largest contributor to
the retail industry after food and
grocery, has undergone a profound
transformation.
The country’s sizeable young
adult consumer base, rising dispos-
able income, growth in the mid-
dle-income segment and entry of
international brands has made India
a highly lucrative market. But in the
era of ‘fast-fashion’ retail, there is
still a huge gap between India’s or-
ganised and unorganised retail, es-
pecially in the fashion segment. For
instance, India’s $70 billion fashion
especially in smaller cities and IDENTIFYING THE OPPORTUNITY
retail market is still mostly unorgan-
ised, with nearly 93% of it happening towns is Delhi-based Citykart Retail Organised retail in the country was
through small mom-and-pop stores (SSR Retail Kart Pvt. Ltd). Helmed largely focused in tier 1 cities and
or stand-alone outlets. The shift to by Sudhanshu Agarwal, the com- some of the larger tier 2 cities. De-
organised large-format chains has pany’s founder and chief executive, spite being the most populous part
been going on in the last decade, Citykart retail is slowly yet gradually of the country, tier 2 and 3 cities and
but only at a snail’s pace. But that’s organising India’s unorganised fash- towns are highly under-penetrated
changing now. ion retail, one small town at a time. in terms of organised retail. Basi-
One such company that is work- Sudhanshu Agarwal shares his cally, these are the places where
ing to bridge this fashion retail gap, business journey… people have newly increased pur-
22 | STOrai | May - June 2018SME Inspirations
A national shift towards organ-
ised retail, improved business mod-
els, changing demographics, and ris-
ing per capita income has cemented
our trust in serving this target group
and geography. At Citykart, we have
Sudhanshu Agarwal, Director, Citykart Retail Pvt. Ltd.
witnessed a definite shift of consum-
ers from unorganised to organised
chasing power and aspire for an en- 10,000 sq. ft., we currently operate retail, and we are confident about
hanced shopping experience. There 26 stores that sell clothes, accesso- serving this segment.
was an opportunity in bringing this ries and footwear for men, women
Over the last few years, we have
brand of retail to a wider gamut of and children. About 80% – 85% of
retooled our business model af-
smaller cities, which have growing the company’s revenue comes from
ter a decade of learning, instead
spending power and commensu- apparel.
of reckless expansion. With an in-
rate aspirations. FULFILLING NEEDS creased focus on improving store
So we launched Citykart Pvt. Ltd, The north-east area of India is not as economics, the company has found
a company that primarily deals in developed despite the presence of its strength in its deft Inventory Man-
apparel and general merchandise an aspirational population. We are agement. The company has also in-
covering the small towns of Uttar trying to bring consumers in those vested in best-in-class Management
Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, areas, latest fashion and modern Information System (MIS) that keeps
Nagaland and Assam in India with shopping facilities like personalised a rigorous control over stock and
a focus on middle-lower income customer service, sensory experi- highlights the critical areas related
groups. We offer a wide range of ence, advertisements, redemption to sales and stock numbers.
fashion garments for all age groups, of points & e-vouchers, product This increased focus on perfect-
including basic household articles. combination and free-gift assur- ing the technology and business has
With an average store size of 8,000- ance. even led to the company’s continu-
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 23SME Inspirations
ON RAI & GLOBALLINKER
As a member of RAI, I got to know
about various new opportunities in
retail, which inspired me to take my
business to the next level.
RAI-GlobalLinker is an excellent
way to network with fellow entre-
preneurs and gain business insights
and knowledge.
THE BIG BUSINESS DREAM
I want to resolve issues in the retail
industry by strengthening the pro-
curement of apparel and general
ous growth. The company is grow- opportunities. We not only bring merchandise, which is the back-
ing at a CAGR (compound annual modern retail, but also a democrat- bone of our business. My objective
growth rate) of 30-40% and closed ic leadership style that is typical of is to provide modern retail facilities
its last financial year with a turn- (like air conditioning, trial rooms, ex-
modern corporates, to cities we op-
over of around Rs200 crore. With an change policy, toilets etc.) to small
erate in.
expectation to grow by 50% in the cities at affordable prices by focus-
current fiscal year, the company is However, we face challenges. ing on family fashion and value for
envisaging 12 new stores this year. The main challenge I have faced in money products addressing all age
establishing this business is a lack of groups.
CHALLENGES FACED
skilled manpower. Other challeng- MESSAGE TO ASPIRING ENTRE-
We employ a significant number of
es include an unorganised supply PRENEURS
people and invest in training them
so that they can learn new technol- chain, unavailability of resources at Sell what you expect to buy as a
ogies. Employees are rewarded with the initial stage, absence of healthy customer, not what you want to sell.
incentives whenever they achieve competition, inadequate distribu- Also, believe that the money spent
set targets. In addition, the best tion channels, lack of information on training is an investment, not
performer gets career advancement and employee attrition. wastage.
24 | STOrai | May - June 2018Technology
STARBUCKS
BREWING SUCCESS
Spilling the beans on how Starbucks is brewing profits and great customer experience using
a great blend of innovation and technology
By Prashobh Chandralayam
I
f the most recent Starbucks in-
vestor call was any indication,
technology and digital ini-
tiatives are becoming a huge
priority for the coffee giant.
Starbucks executives spent a large
chunk of the time of the post-earn-
ings call talking about the compa-
ny’s investment in new technology.
During the call, the word ‘digital’
was mentioned more than 70 times.
CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE =
STARBUCKS CASH FLOW
Starbucks’ primary digital asset
is its mobile application. Used by
over 12 million customers, the app
allows for quick and easy payment,
rewards for loyalty, and additional
In 2016, Starbucks achieved 38% of vantage in reinvesting the earnings
features like store locator and mu-
its revenue, $6 billion, from prepaid in what CTO Gerri Martin Flickinger
sic recommendations. How does
cards. This favorable working capital refers to as the ‘Starbucks digital
Starbucks translate a great app into
line item translates to serious cash flywheel’—innovations that contin-
great economics? Well, for one thing,
flow for the coffee giant. In recent ue to enhance the Starbucks expe-
they get your money upfront. Think
years, the company has achieved an rience and facilitate value capture.
of all the transactions you make in
annual net cash benefit of $150 mil- This includes game-changing ini-
a day or week – how many of them
lion from prepaid cards, which will tiatives like the 2015 introduction
do you actually pay for before the
only grow as more customers join
service has been received? Some- of Mobile Order and Pay. This new
the platform.
how the convenience, rewards, and functionality allows customers to
predictability of the Starbucks expe- MORE CASH FLOW = BETTER conduct the entire purchase pro-
rience allows customers to mentally INNOVATIONS cess within the app and simply pick-
justify the prepayment proposition. Starbucks, therefore, gains an ad- up their ready-made drinks in stores
26 | STOrai | May - June 2018Technology
across all customer segments. It has place an order via the Starbucks app
been observed that, in general, app — that includes folks who want to
users are more loyal than the aver- use the mobile order-ahead feature.
age Starbucks customer and report-
ROADMAP
edly spend three times more. Digital
Starbucks sits in a unique position
conversion also drives value by facil-
in the ever-changing retail world,
itating the seamless collection and
as it has a huge physical retail foot-
utilization of data. With 12 million
print — 27,000 stores in 75 countries
active users—almost 20% of all Star-
serving roughly 90 million custom-
bucks customers—the company can
er visits each week — with a robust
observe customer and store data in
digital platform. Starbucks’ new
real-time and use it to create per-
CEO Kevin Johnson did not mince
sonalised targeting.
words when he said, “Clearly, the
Images Courtesy: Starbucks
DIGITAL FLYWHEEL & BEYOND entire retail sector is going through
Digital transformation story of Star- this massive disruption and it’s clear
bucks has been named the Digital that the winners coming out of this
Flywheel program. This is a propri- are going to be those companies
etary asset that is driving deep cus- who find elegant ways to bring an
tomer engagement, revenue and in-store experience together with a
App Dashboard profit growth. Part of that rollout digital experience”.
includes allowing Starbucks to flex-
of choice. The feature now accounts ibly change its rewards program to
for about 8% of Starbucks transac- create new benefits for customers.
tions. While there have been some Early next year, the company will
minor operational growing pains in also allow non-rewards members to
adapting to this immense demand,
mobile ordering platforms have
proven to increase customer loyal-
ty, purchase frequency, and average
ticket sizes.
BETTER INNOVATIONS = MORE Prashobh Chandralayam is the Exec-
SALES utive Director and Partner at IBM In-
Customer-centric innovations drive dia. He leads Retail Practice for IBM
regular customers to migrate to the in India & South Asia and is known for
digital platform, which further con- helping retail clients to transform their
tributes to Starbucks’ bottom line. business models and consumer-fac-
A case in point would be the in-app ing activities. He has over 20 years’
rewards programme. After the in- experience in consulting and is a lead-
troduction of the rewards program er in implementing complex business
on the Starbucks app, spends have and technology solutions that drive
increased by a minimum of 20% Starbucks Cherry Mocha improved performance.
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 27Market Watch
KOCHI: THE NEXT BIG
RETAIL DESTINATION
N
estled in the district the existing CBD (central business tag for basic infrastructure, port-
of Ernakulum, Kochi district) locations, characterised by based development for industry &
(aka Cochin) is a major the presence of single brand/multi- commercial growth, airport terminal
port city on the south brand retail outlets. for international connectivity &
west coast of India. It foreign investment, and tourism
The city also houses the most
is the largest urban agglomeration for the hospitality industry are
number of shopping malls in the
in the state of Kerala. emphasised in Kochi,” said the
state of Kerala. Oberon Mall is the
Kochi is known as the financial, report.
first full format mall in the state. Gold
commercial and industrial capital Souk Grande Kochi is a larger mall, According to leading global real
of Kerala and has the availability which is partially open for business. estate consulting firm CBRE, the
of electricity, fresh water, good Abad Nucleus Mall & Baypride mall growing demand for office space,
banking facilities, its own port, and are fully open. Apart from these, the especially from the IT sector is
an international air terminal. LuLu International Shopping Mall, resulting in Kochi’s emergence as
KOCHI’S RETAIL SCENARIO the largest shopping mall in India, India’s next technological hub. The
is located in Edapally area of Kochi, IT sector’s growing prominence here,
The city is a shopping hub for central
Kerala. coupled with various government
Kerala. The higher GDP and per-
There are many more under infrastructure initiatives and
capita income in the surrounding
construction, like Q1 Mall, Baani availability of quality space, is
district promotes the retail business.
Mega Mall, Mall of joy, Central making Kochi an attractive option
The major retail ventures are in gold,
plaza, Unitech great India Place, for corporates looking to expand
textile, furniture, home accessories
Forum mall and RDS Rajagiri Mall. in southern India. This, in turn, will
and home appliances. There are
Soon, India’s first health mall BCG open up huge opportunity for retail
a number of big box stores that
Healthsquare will come up here too. in the coming years. However, due to
exceed 50,000 sq. ft. of retail space.
limited land availability for large-scale
For instance, Emmanuel Silks in FUTURE POTENTIAL
retail, most of the retail development
Kochi is the world’s largest textile
According to a 2016 report authored is taking place in East Kochi.
showroom.
by A. Shankar, National Director
“The real estate market in South
Like in most South Indian cities & Head of Operations - Strategic
India, especially Kochi is at the
that are retail hubs, local brands Consulting, JLL India, Kochi is likely
threshold of future development,”
have an edge over national and to become one of India’s next highly-
said CBRE South Asia MD, Ram
global brands in Kochi. The city’s preferred real estate destinations.
Chandnani, on the opening of
organised retail stock stands at more “All potential drivers such as IT
CBRE’s new office in 2016.
than 3 million sq. ft. A majority of the development for employment
existing retail developments in the generation, Metro rail for intra- Let’s have a look at some leading
city is primarily concentrated within city connectivity, the ‘Smart City’ retailers in the city...
28 | STOrai | May - June 2018Market Watch
BISMI GROUP
ABOUT: The Bismi Group, which includes the Bismi
Hypermarket, is led by Managing Diretor V.A. Ajmal and
Chairman V.A. Yousuf
JOURNEY: It was in 2002 that Bismi entered retail,
through the business of home appliances. The force Be-
hind the company was V.A. Ajmal. Soon they had pres-
ence in more retail formats: Bismi Appliances, Bismi Hy-
permarket and Bismi Connect. The Hypermarket chain
was launched in 2014, and sells appliances, electronics,
grocery, frozen food, home & personal products all under
one roof. ‘Pride’ and ‘Pure’ are the two brands by Bismi.
Today, Bismi has a presence in almost all towns of Ker-
ala. It runs showrooms and trading floors of 40,000 sq.ft
– 50,000 sq. ft.
FUTURE PLANS: Bismi’s principle is to not compromise target to Rs10,000 million per annum by 2019, by enter-
on quality. Banking on this faith, it visualises to take its ing into more innovative fields.
DAILY FISH
ABOUT: Daily Fish is an online seafood store from Baby
Marine Ventures, led by Managing Director and CEO, Alex
K Thomas.
It present in major cities of Kerala like Kochi, Trivandrum,
Thrissur, Kottayam, and also in the neighbouring state of
Karnataka. Apart from stores, it also has a website, call
centre and a mobile application (app) on iOs and An-
droid platforms. The app enables customers to access
products and place orders effortlessly while helping the The Daily Fish processing facility
brand keep its customers informed on the latest offers.
With the noble intention of wanting to make the same
JOURNEY: Daily Fish was launched in February 2016 in
available to Indians, they started Daily Fish.
Kerala. It has now expanded its operations to five towns
across Kerala and Karnataka. FUTURE PLANS: Daily Fish recently expanded its op-
The brand was born to fulfil unmet aspirational needs erations to other cities in Kerala such as Aluva and An-
of Indians. The founders of Baby Marine Ventures (Daily gamaly. Several other towns & cities in Kerala have been
Fish’s promoters) noticed that India was a big exporter of earmarked as a part of expansion plans in the next year.
international quality seafood to retail giants across the Over the next five years, the goal is to become a national
world such as Carrefour, Metro Cash & Carry and Auchan. player with operations in over 15 towns across India.
May - June 2018 | STOrai | 29You can also read
