Indiantelevision.com Team

(29 May 2007 7:20 pm)

BANGALORE: Foodworld Supermarkets (FSL) has announced the launch of their fresh format of upper end stores ‘Gourmet’ in Bangalore.

FSL and Health and Glow Retailing CEO Norman Yum is looking at 9-10 such outlets by end 2009 in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Yum is also looking at class B cities in the South and at outlets in Mumbai and Pune as well. Spends of Rs 800 million per year over the next three years to end 2009 have been budgeted to grow the chain from the current 60 to 200.

FSL COO mark Marshall is looking at growing the chain through five formats – the current convenience store, the hypermarket, the express store (800-1,000 sq. ft area), the supermarket (16,000 sq. ft. plus area) and the Gourmet.

Stocked item include fresh produce, organic food, grocery, meat products, frozen foods and bakery products soured from all over the globe, as a matter of fact, Marshall says that around 60 per cent of the offerings in Gourmet will be imported.

FSL prefer that all the formats are on a single floor, rather than multi-storey as is the case in many multi-brand FMCG outlets. The first supermarket will be launched by end June at Abids in Hyderabad next month, with one more to follow in the same city shortly.

By end 2009, Marshall is looking at having 8-9 each of supermarket and Gourmet stores in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. Three convenience stores are to be launched at Mysore shortly. Thirteen Foodworld convenience outlets in Bangalore are undergoing refurbishment according to Marshall. FSL has tied up with famers on the Hosur Raod area to meet with their requirements of fresh farm produce for a start.

FSL also launched their ‘First Choice’ brand of products in India for the first time. Products under this brand have been sold in other Asian markets. ‘First Choice’ will be retailed exclusively in Gourmet and upper end Foodworld stores. Some of the 56 products that were launched under the First Choice brand include noodles, pasta, cereals, tea, candy, Chinese desserts, etc. Though FSL plan to focus on the high end customers, they promise to offer value for money, and some of the products could be a tprices that are at a discount to MRP.