BANGALORE: As the "mall culture" becomes ever more embedded in India's cities, the Indian retail scenario is going through a major change. Every major city in India will soon have several malls, with big metros like Delhi and Mumbai planning more than 20 each.
 

 
And with over 300 malls expected to come up over the next three years, location, parking spaces, management, size and most importantly, the tenant mix - as in brands available - could be crucial factors for success. This is the view of the the Brand Owners Forum (BOF), comprising some of the leading brands from various businesses, which has beened formed to work as a platform to interact with mall developers so that the maximum "mutual benefit" is derived.
The BOF asserts that mall developers need a good collection of brands to make their malls successful and the brands need to be present in a good retail environment with likeminded brands to make a successful retail venture.

 
 
"It is a collaborative effort. We work closely with key mall developers to understand them better and arrive at ways of participating in the mall for mutual benefit," says BOF chairman Uday Kumar.
BOF members claim that the retail space that they can occupy in any mall is over 30,000 sq. ft. A typical mall has about 150,000 to 200,000 sq. ft of retail space and BOF believes it can help to provide a good brand mix in the mall.

 
 
"Our objective is to provide mall developers with a set of Brands that will create a good connect with end consumers," says Vishak Kumar, vice chairman of the forum.

The BOF currently has over 20 members and more joining in, given the growth of malls across the country and interest in brands expanding their retail presence. Adidas, Arvind Fashions, Café Coffee Day, Freelook, Hi-Design, Himalaya Healthcare, Ikian Furnitures, Indus-League Clothing, ITC LRBD, Levi Strauss, Madura Garments, Milano Overseas, Nike, Oyzterbay, Pepe Jeans, Personality, Proline, Reebok, Tanishq, Titan are the current brands that have banded together to form BOF.