Sports gear retailing
By Nishi Roy
13 Mar 2010
The story has been read 4794 times.
It is but impossible to miss the sport-themed-entrance of SPORTXS as soon as one steps out of the transparent glass lifts on the first floor of the Forum Value Mall at Whitefield, Bangalore. Indias first speciality sports gear retailer creates a well organised and energetic environment that showcases over 5,000 products across 28 sport categories and 54 brands. In short, a one-stop-shop for sport lovers, enthusiasts and professionals alike.
The completely fitted-out black mannequin in outdoor adventure sports gear, the fitted twin-sharing tent which even has a foldable chair placed strategically at the tent-entrance and the large 6x4 ft interactive web-based screen on the top left hand-side corner of the store entrance are all enough to grab the interest and attention of any passerby.
The prominently displayed simple yet- vibrant brand logo in energetic hues of yellow, orange and red on a black background is compelling in its ability to draw in just about any passerby. Regarding the design and the choice of colours for the brand logo, Monica Laliwala, MD, Xsis Promotions India Pvt. Ltd., says, The SPORTXS symbol is made out of three triangles connected together. The triangle is one of the most dynamic of all simple geometric shapes and the movement has been further
emphasised by tilting the shapes as well. Each triangle also represents our three layers of retail: Enjoy for the sports fan; Play for the sports lover; and Perform for the professional.
Black forms the perfect backdrop for us to display all our products and collaterals as visually it does not interfere with the products and allows them to stand out clearly. Yellow, orange and red are hot or active colours and therefore form the perfect palette to depict the energy of sports. Sharing information about the web based screen Laliwala says, Live feeds can be shown here and they can be controlled from any part of the world. For instance, If a particular brand wants a show a live launch of any of their latest products or say, even show a live sporting activity or show live product videos, they will be able to do so from any part of the world.
Regarding the retail space, Laliwala says, The store size was selected with the objective of delivering
an optimum retail experience and to accommodate all sports categories with depth of display. This is the first sports gear retail destination in India and there was no specific data available for numbers in
this category. We decided on this size considering the number of sports categories and SKUs available. One of the Xsis genetics is to create profitable retail destinations and right sizing is most important criteria to deliver that.
In 5,500 square feet of area SPORTXS at present covers 28 sports categories, 5,000 SKUs and 50 brands. We also have sufficient storage area (200 square feet) as sports shoes as a category requires storage. We also have two trial rooms (60 square feet) for the apparel category. The store design also includes a play area/experience zone (900 square feet) on the mezzanine floor (shared by SPORTXS and Crossword, a seamless open store right beside the SPORTXS outlet), which has a table tennis table, a fuss ball table, a carom board, a trampoline and a large projector screen for viewing live sport telecasts.
Xsis Retail, which is headquartered in Bangalore, decided to launch the SPORTXS concept in its home territory first, We know the Bangalore market very well. Whitefield is an ideal place for a retail format like this, as people living in and around this location are exposed to sports and have the amenities/space (as there are numerous gated communities in and around Whitefield) to indulge in sporting activities.
Store Interiors As one walks into the store, the bold and dramatic colour scheme inside of darkest grey, pale grey and white creates an aura of energy and power. The store has been designed by Dilip Patel of Aakruti Architects, who has also designed many large format Crossword stores. The circular path designed-store gives an automatic direction to shoppers and helps them to get a seamless and clutter free walkthrough of the outlet. The space frame design along the circular path with hanging dome lights gives the store a very sporting-arena feel. Bold 6-inch dark grey and white header cards across the various sports categories are immensely helpful, as the shopper is easily able to identify his/her area of interest from a distance.
Laliwala says, The store and the signage system have been designed to create a high energy and pulsating environment. The three triangles are used in a graphic language to create symbols that depict the specific sports, so that as a customer browses through the store, the SPORTXS identity is
subtly and unconsciously reinforced.
A dictionary of sport symbols, which covers every category of sport present in the store, is also in evidence. Larger-than-life visuals of the sport category have been blended with inspirational sports quotes and the threthreee triangles to create a graphicgraphic language that is ununiqueique and distinctly oownedwned by SPORTXS.
The mood board near the store entrance displays the current mood or sporting flavour of the season (display is changed every week). Currently, there is a complete display of tennis gear, including the balls, racquets, clothes and accessories. Even though most of the time a sports category is on display, on a few occasions, the area is also utilised for new product displays.
The dedicated FaFann section has a wide array of impulseimpulse purchasepurchase and popular spsportsorts and adventure--adventure related products team India jerseys, football club jerseys and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and
YuvrajSingh mugs. Thus, even those not particularly sporty can walk in to pick up an item from the fan section. This section also has a glass cabinet, which displays accessories including binoculars, Swiss knives, sunglasses, bicycle glasses and watches.
On being asked if fear of pilferage is the reason for keeping these products in a locked glass cabinet, Laliwala says, No we are not really concerned about pilferage. We have realised that the profile of customers that come into stores like this have a very high sense of ethics. Maximum pilferage happens from within your own system. We have yet not been able to devise a way where we can hang these and lock them with the stand. Once we are able to do so, we will have them displayed outside.
Next to the Fan section is the Adventure zone, which houses sporting gear from various brands in sport categories including hiking, rock climbing, archery, camping, swimming and fishing. Part of the fan section also extends into the Adventure section. Laliwala says, With major sporting events like IPL (Indian Premier League) in the offing, we will expand and stock more of that particular sport- related merchandise in our Fan section. We are already displaying the various IPL team jerseys; soon more cricket-related products will adorn our shelves.
We will be constantly changing our displays, she goes on to add. All our display racks are foldable and movable. Depending on the sporting activity national or international, happening or imminent our displays will change accordingly. The store has been designed in such a way that depending on our requirements we can completely alter the displays. Elucidating on the fixtures, Laliwala says, The height of the wall rack is at 8 feet to increase product density. There are 16 types of hanging arms designed to fit on the grid structure, which add versatility of hanging different types of sports gear and accessories.
Floor racks are also designed with the same grid structure. Thought and consideration has gone into the height and width of the display grids. The height is 6 feet, and therefore does not block visibility since it is a grid and is hence see-through. The height is again giving creating more density, which is the call of the day to boost PSFPD (per square feet per day) sales, Laliwala remarks.
The 4-feet floor rack can carry and represent a whole brand or a category with different accessories and gear for that particular sport. The 2-feet floor racks are designed in such a way so that they add an element of design (like a circular curve currently) to the layout and thus make it interesting for the customer. Also it gives automatic visual direction for the customer to follow the path, which leads them to all different sports categories.
Through the various kinds of in-store signages, customers will also be able to satisfy all queries and make informed purchases. As Laliwala says, at no point of time, would she want the customer to regret his/her buying decision. Apart from the headers that clearly display the designated category, even at the product level, there are signages displaying the particular product information.
For instance, information on why the product is needed, its usefulness etc. Regarding why this is
done, in spite of the product packaging disclosing the desired information, Laliwala says, The packaging does not always have all the desired information. We have put all the information
together in simple language, so that the shopper has enough information to buy a desired product. Apart from signages, the three interactive web-enabled Educate panels (one in the Adventure section, one near the Recreation section and yet another near the Team Sports section) are a storehouse of information for all sporting categories and gear.
LLooking ahead Elaborating on the prospective plans, Laliwala says, We are delighted as we have been able to create a store like this for the first time in the modern retail environment in India. Our future plan is to take our own brand SPORTXS ahead. We think that SPORTXS as a format has an extremely good potential. We are looking at large format and stand alone stores in other areas of Bangalore and are keen to have a pan-India presence. We want to make SPORTXS the largest organised retail destination for sports gear in India. To take our vision forward, we are looking for right business partners to create location catering to customers delight.
Immediate future plans include launching a 15-seater coffee shop in February 2010 in the Experience Zone at the Bangalore outlet. It will not be an elaborate café, but essentially a place where shoppers if they like can rest their feet, says Laliwala. Exuding confidence about the business potential of SPORTXS, Laliwala further states, We are an ideal first floor anchor brand, since we need lateral spacing and have enough pull to bring customers to the first floor in terms of our expertise. We want to live up to our theme of Great gear for all, not just for sport lovers living in the silicon city, but also for those across the country.
Features and Resources Store size: 5,500 sq.ft Ceilings: Space Frame structure and Dome with PL lights to give sports arena effect Fixtures: Designed with MS Flat Vertical and MS Rod Lighting: Two types of mixed lights -- Aluminum Dome hanging from the space frame and CDMT lights fitted on the space frame Flooring: Grey Somani Arizona Griz 20 X 20 In-store Media: Educate panels Point of Purchase: Raymedi software from GoFrugal Technologies
Store Security: In the process of evaluating for installing CCTV or IP camera with on line remote monitoring Signage/ graphics: Designed by IDEA SPICE designs Architect/ designer: Aakruti Architects, headed by Dilip Patel
*For whole article please refer to IMAGES Retail magazine of Feb' 10
Ready to rock with Hard Rock
By AkanshaSrivastava
13 Nov 2009
The story has been read 2154 times.
If rock is your thing, you will feel right at home here. With the arrival of the iconic Hard Rock Café in New Delhi, rock lovers in the Capital have plenty of cheer about. The 7,000-square feet cafe and retail outlet, Indias fourth Hard Rock Café, operated by franchisee HR Cafe India, offers guests classic American fare in a rock `n` roll atmosphere at DLF Place in Saket. The restaurant has an awe-inspiring collection of authentic Rock n Roll music memorabilia, with priceless pieces from The Beatles, Pearl Jam and Jimi Hendrix plus contemporary stars such as Buckcherry, 3 Doors Down, and Black Eyed Peas as well as John Lennon, Elvis Presley gracing the cafe walls, along with more recent additions including stage costumes worn by Madonna and Tina Turner.
Speaking to IndiaRetailing, Jay Singh, director, HR Cafe India Pvt. Ltd., said, The theme of Hard Rock Cafe is to create a rock museum and so it is the same all across the world. After receiving a tremendous response from the other three locations in India, we were thrilled to launch Hard Rock Cafe in a vibrant city like Delhi. We want to bring the international brand experience to the customers over here and create an ultimate destination for rock lovers of all ages in New Delhi.
Hard Rock Cafe New Delhi has 200 seats divided into five distinct sections and a stage for live performances. To elaborate, on entering the café, guests can retire to the Motley Crue lounge on the left, which can comfortably seat 70 hard rockers. A breezy walk-through leads to the lush, resplendent Elvis Lounge, a bar area with slouchy, low-lying comfortable seating.
Facing the bar is a stage area where guests can enjoy live performances while chewing upon on a Hard Rock Burger accompanied by a chilled beer. Further, on the extreme right side of the café is the soulful, hippy-hoppy Fugees Area with a seating capacity of 44. This is a semi formal dining option. The Beatles Lounge is the private dining area and offers a personal space for entertaining close friends and family.
Referring to the interior and restaurant concept, Singh says, We have designed the restaurant to position it as a fun place to dine in, in sync with the rock music enhancing the atmosphere. Depending on the size, it takes around Rs 2-4 crore of expenditure on each restaurant.
The Rock n Roll genre cuts across generations. So our target customers extend through a wide spectrum including teenagers, middle aged guests, family and friends. Also, about 20 per cent of
clientele at all Hard Rock Cafes in India are tourists.
The menu consists of classic American fare include a wide assortments of burgers, sandwiches and salads, starters such as spring rolls and chicken wings. Meanwhile, to blend with the local flavour, the restaurant has a special menu offering MMerriDilli a section consisting of local favourites like chicken kebabs and more.
About 90 per cent of the menu remains the same all around the world. However, we do add local elements to it, by localising or launching a new line of dishes depending on the city where we open our restaurant, Singh adds.
In the MMeriDilli menu, Prawn Spirals, Spicy Calamari, Chicken Kebabs, MMezze Platterand PaneerShashlik are the hot favourites, available in a price range of Rs 230 to Rs 300.
However, the most popular starters include tasty Tupelo Chicken Tenders, succulent boneless, seasoned and breaded chicken tenders, served with honey-mustard and hickory barbeque sauces and carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing at Rs 275. And of course the Jumbo Combo, a delectable array of four different sauces for mixing and matching including Santa Fe Spring Rolls, Onion Rings, Potato Skins and MMezze. Served in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions at Rs 425 and Rs 525 respectively, this is guaranteed to rock any guests senses.
Jumbo Combo is our best selling dish; it is liked by all across the globe, Singh confirms.
Twisted MMac & Cheese, the LLegendary 10 Oz Burger topped with seasoned bacon, three slices of cheese, fried onion rings, lettuce, tomato and pickles, Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae and an array of premium cocktails including Hurricane, Triple Platinum MMargarita, Platinum Bloody MMary and Berry Blush are some of the other quintessential American favourites at Hard Rock Café. The all-American experience isnt too heavy on the wallet either; an average bill for two would hover around just Rs 1200.
Regarding the freshness of the food, the restaurant has key rules on quality control and monitoring
the products. We have a solid infrastructure and we follow set rules to maintain it, Singh says. Handling of waste food and cooking techniques have to be constantly monitored to maintain the chains internatiinternationalonal standards.standards. We have an in house logistics chain to manage our backback-end-end operations.
Adding to all these services, for the first time, Hard Rock Cafe in New Delhi has also opened a retail store within the premises with limited-edition and city-specific merchandise available. The Rock Shop offers a limited line of authentic Hard Rock Cafe items, including Hard Rocks famous Classic and City T-shirts, as well as highly coveted accessories and pins.
Packed during weekends with a long guest list waiting to get in, Hard Rock Cafe New Delhi - is waiting to take your expectations to a new level of rock n roll. So for a world renowned menu in an
atmosphere that rocks; make the Hard Rock Cafe your next stop.
BOX Hard Rock Café | History In The MMaking
The first Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) opened its doors to the public on June 14, 1971, in London, England. Founded by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, two enterprising and music-loving Americans, HRC was an instant classic, attracting droves of customers with its first-rate, but moderately priced casual American fare, warm service and ever-present rock `n` roll music and sensibility.
With over 130 venues in more 40 countries around the world, Hard Rock is todaya truly global phenomenon. From its launch in London, England, to New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo, and on to such exotic and far-flung locales as Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai, Hard Rock offers a special experience to its ever-expanding clientele. Its unparalleled memorabilia collection, which consists of more than 70,000 pieces that are rotated from restaurant to restaurant, provides the world`s most comprehensive "visual history" of rock `n` roll.
Area: 7,000-square feet
LLocation: DLF Place, Saket, New Delhi
Homeland Security
By RunulVashistha
24 Sep 2009
The story has been read 1730 times.
An explosive category as per industry insiders, ethnicwear is yet to realise its true potential. With modern retail giving more space to this segment now, the key to sustainability is innovation and product differentiation, while developing nationally-relevant merchandise mixes. RunulVashistha speaks to HemangSavla, the man in the driver's seat at Ethnicity, Future Group's all-in-one ethnic retail format.
Nothing changes faster than fashion and consumer preferences. What was labelled as traditional and indoor clothing a decade ago, has laid the foundation for todays contemporary Indian ethnic chic. While Indo-western styles are now commonly spotted in professional settings, weddings and festivals are
incomplete without true-blue Indian ensembles. The new addition to the bandwagon are speciality retail formats, the most visible of which is Ethnicity by the Future Group. Currently wooing
customers in Ahmedabad and Mumbai with a unique merchandise mix comprising apparel, accessories, food , home improvement, and personal care products, Ethnicity is a concept that brings together ethnicware retailers, brands and manufacturers in a modern retail environment.
HemangSavla, Concept Owner, Ethnicity, says that that the retail format took birth (in October 2008) from the fact that while there is clearly massive demand for all the categories in the store, little effort has so far been made to present all of them under one structured, branded umbrella.
Ethnicity is certainly a differentiated format as compared to traditional retailers. Its just not about ethnic clothing. Its much more than that; its an experience. I am convinced that the format has taken great shape and is being well accepted across all age groups, he says.
With so many designer labels going the prêt way, the high level propaganda of Fashion Weeks and wedding exhibitions, ethnic clothing is now chic, trendy and fashionable. A lot of this perception has also to do with Indian eating habits and body sizes that dont always look flattering in western clothing, he adds.
Also, the proliferation of fusion fashion mix-and-match tunics/ short kurta/ kurtis with jeans/ trousers/ skirts -- to blend some form of ethnic wear in daily clothing has led to a resurgence of demand, though Indo-western as daily wear is largely limited to urban areas, he adds.
Savla emphasises that Ethnicity is not a fashion-only retailer. The mix comprises costume jewellery to accessories such as scarves, stoles, dupattas, mojris, ethnic food (farsaan, pickles), handicraft goods, poojakasaaman, in addition to apparel. With over 50 brands to select from, from 40 different regions of India, prices begin at as low as Rs 10 for a small finger ring and can touch Rs 100,000 for a bridal saree.
Ethnicity's network currently comprises three stores (one each at Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Indore) with a combined retail space of 54,000 square feet. Before the end of the fiscal, four more outlets are expected to become operational in non-metros, each avergaing about 12,000 square feet in size.
Savla confirms that each Ethnicity store has entailed an investment of 5 crore rupees, and registers an average sales per square feet of Rs 25 per day. At 55 per cent, womenswear grabs the lion's share of retail space, with menswear and kidswear occupying 15 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. Home accessories and costume jewellery take up 10 per cent each.
Given this merchandise ratio, it is little surprise that womenswear accounts for the largest chunk (60 per cent) of sales turnover, with costume jewellery following at 15 per cent, menswear and home accessories each contributing 10 per cent, and kidswear wrapping things up with five per cent.
Ethnicity is mass market as well as high end since it addresses a wide spectrum of customers and product offerings. But the underlining parameters that makes ethnic as a category successful remain unchanged, he points out. All kind of people celebrate festivals, observe rituals and shop for
marriages. At the end of the day, be it any format, from the customers perspective, success in this category still boils down to only three important criteria: competitive product pricing, product
choice and availability, and excellent customer service.
The key differentiator for Ethnicity, Savla says, lies in its 360-degree shopping experience. A lot of our formats success depends on us being consistent in our promise to offer different varieties of clothing, handicraft, accessories and household items from different parts of the country. Its almost like getting a high street shopping experience under one roof and constantly reinventing it. This requires a lot of dedicatidedicationon and patience, not to mentionmention category managemmanagement,ent, he says.
At Ethnicity, what changes is the experience of shopping. Customers typically are taken back by such huge variety under one roof. So there is an instant wow factor in the way we have created the store interiors and treated our visual appeal.
In sync with the merchandise offer, Ethnicity's store design reflects a distinctly ethnic character visual merchandising tools include artefacts, paintings and décor pieces from Rajasthan, Orissa, Gujarat and the like.
Visual merchandising is like the synopsis of a story book. Ethnicity has gone the desi way for becoming attractive and communicative. I feel its vital to not only be a differentiated retailer but also to draw out the true essence of the products we sell, Savla says.
Branding in ethnicwear has been led by region of origin of the product (Benares sarees/ Lucknowikurta, Kutch Bandhini). We are now witnessing some dominant national level brands taking shape in the category who are investing not only in advertising, but in designing exclusive products and making it available pan India, he adds.
**For whole article please refer to IMAGES Retail magazine of Sept' 09
Down to Earth organising the organics
SangitaGhosh
22 Jul 2009
The story has been read 2507 times.
Morarka Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd. (MOFPL), a long-time producer, supplier and exporter of organic products, has now
entered the domestic food retail territory with the launch of its first organic food store at Tardeo in Mumbai.
The debut Down to Earth, the 2,000 square feet branded organic retail outlet from Morarka Organic that stocks more than 300 varieties of cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, spices, dairy and poultry, processed products and condiments, is a single store operation as of now, but has plans to develop into a pan- India speciality retail chain.
Commenting on the companys entry into the sector, Mukesh Gupta, director - operations of the Jaipur based Morarka Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd., said, For us this marks a significant and a ground- breaking step not only for Morarka Organics, but also for organic industry in the country.
According to him, being lifestyle products, organic foods cannot be commoditised and regarded simply as any other grocery category in a retail store. This is what drove Morarka to launch a speciality retail format for a category that Gupta believes deserves special treatment. We had no other option but to look for alternative retail spaces and the one Down To earth store in Mumbai is a small step towards that effort, he says.
According to him, Down To Earth is the first truly organic store where each product that is stocked and sold is 100 percent certified organic, as per the standards applicable in USA and Europe. Down to Earth is the outcome of a strategic planning that began away back in 1999 after a careful evaluation of the contexts of the Indian as well as international markets, says Gupta.
To begin with, Morarka made massive investments in developing the production base. The organic certification in compliance with international standards was implemented with many innovative modifications; investments have also been made to develop Information Technology applications in the management of organic value chain, and above all, supply chain management, processiprocessingng and packaging techniques.
The raison detre
For Morarka, the opening of Down to Earth marks the launch of a domestic interface for the huge amount of organic products that have been produced and exported by the company for a long time. While we are present in all aspects of the organic value chain, the opening of the store has only been one more step in our efforts to develop the value chain management for organic products in the country, Gupta says.
The retail brand has been conceptualised to promote ideas on improving the quality of life by graduating the quality of food and other organic non-foods products, says Gupta. The store has been set up to deliver all that a consumer can ththininkk of in food and to some extent non-foods,non-foods, aandnd Morarka Organic offers the organic option in all those choices, he claims.
According to Morarka Organic, Down to Earth is an exclusive organic retail outlet chain and a first-of-
its-kind for India. This is a platform for creating marketing linkages for over 250,000 organic producers spread over the entire country producing over 300 food items. Therefore, Down to Earth
is the only retail store to stock and sell a wide range of only own label organic products produced, processed and marketed by the parent organisation, he adds.
The process of organic food retailing from cultivation, to processing and packaging as per international standards takes up to three years, says Gupta.
The store
The organic revolution by Morarka Organics began 12 years ago in Navalgarh a small town at the edge of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. Today, the vast activities of the organic food research and development involve a network of 70,000 certified organic farmers directly within its folds. The company trains farmers and NGOs on organic farming and the products are certified by independent certification agencies.
According to Morarka Organics, all Down to Earth products are certified by OneCert Asia Agri, Certification Pvt Ltd, (a subsidiary of OneCert Inc. USA) as per NPOP (India) and EU standards for Organic Certifications. Down to Earth provides a comprehensive range of organic substitutes for normal food and non-food requirements as well.
Currently, the store offers basic commodities, in which large capacities of production have already been created. Very soon a new portfolio of processed products will also be offered, once again with 100 percent guaranteed organic status. A number of products in the store are priced at a 15 percent discount to open market prices, which implies only a marginal difference in pricing of regular and organic products. This has been a conscious effort by the store to draw customers who generally keep away from organic products assuming its high price quotient. Yes, organic products are expensive, but only when sold as a lifestyle product. When sold as commodities, they should be discounted, Gupta says.
Communicating the brand
According to him, Down to Earth is trying to communicate the quality, value addition and benefits of the organic products to its target customers. Organic is always better value for money. We, in our limited capacity, are trying to educate customers through continuous in-store-communication, Gupta explains. Via in-store communication the company is also trying to educate customers about the certification of organic products. Most potential buyers are confused about certified organic products. Our store also provides a platform to generate adequate awareness, Gupta says. According to the company, the ideal communication tool publicises 10 compelling reasons to switch to Down to Earth: tastes better, feels better, freedom from additives, boosts your system, solves water problems in farming, protects health of future generations, keeps the rural communities healthy, keeps the livestock healthy, preserves biodiversity and a natural way of conservation.
Creating the value chain Down to Earth benefits from a strong network supported by Morarka Organic, which again sustains on mutually beneficial partnerships with several national and
international resource organisations, entrepreneurs and volunteers such as Winrock International, MESA and AIESEC to establish collaborative relationships, to expand the outreach and cooperation
and prescribes norms for post-harvest handling, processing, packaging, supply chain management to the retail chain effectively.
According to Morarka Organic, the support for the huge organic production for a retail store has mostly been coordinated by NGOs, voluntary organisations and the global chains of certification and expertise. Our farming presence in over 300 locations and one-to-one relations with over 500 farmer groups enable us to procure, though yet not very efficiently as of now. However, a reasonable level of satisfaction has been achieved, Gupta states.
Back to basics
The journey for creating the capacities for cultivation and production has taken very long for Morarka Organics but that that creates a strong backbone for organised retailing, states Gupta. The organization has just started its operation into organised retailing and Down to Earth is the first attempt to that. We would like to be present across verticals in organised retailing, says Gupta. Morarka has invested close to Rs 100 crores to develop the basic values in creating the capacities of production. The maiden Down to Earth store has been set up with an investment of about Rs 10 crores, informs Gupta. On further expansion plans for Down to Earth, Gupta says, We do have plans and offers across the country to set up stores. We are, of course, evaluating them. After analysing the performance of this store, we will decide on how to expand. As of now we see greater potential in Delhi and Kolkata. Mumbai can also see more outlets, but that too will be driven by customer response.
LLeaving footprints in red & white
By Sarimul Islam Choudhury
15 Jul 2009
The story has been read 1787 times.
Zedds, a leading brand of fashion footwear, recently opened its second exclusive outlet in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Spread over 1,500 square feet, this newly launched store, which is a franchise outlet, showcases around 200 variants of footwear for men and women. The range includes varieties in formal, casual, ethnic and party wear categories. With its exciting
interiors (the store is designed completely in red and white), ambience, customer service and extensive choices on offer,
Zedds promises its customers a wholesome shopping delight in its stores.
Justifying its expansion strategy during a downturn, Rajesh Rawtani, director, Zedds states that the company was, in fact, looking for an opportunity to expand in a slowing economy. We actually want to cash in on the slowdown. It is a time when one can actually gain an entry into the right markets, says Rawtani.
The concept Conceptualised way back in 1994, this Rs 150 crore footwear manufacturer opened its first exclusive store located at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. But thereafter the company halted its exclusive retail outlet expansion and focused on retailing through only multi-brand outlets. However, fifteen years down the line, the company realised that the only way to capture market share and attract customer attention is to invest in the exclusive brand store format and appropriately planned an aggressive expansion strategy for the next three years time. As part of the plan, the company will partner with franchisees to expand across nine cities in India for the time being.
MMerchandise and price points Zedds has a strong production base and offers a wide range of styles and sizes in footwear. Rawtani informs that the company introduces around 27 new designs every month. We also add an extensive range during summer and winter. We are currently working on a six seasons concept (two seasons summer and winter in one year) for three years from now, he states. He further claims that the materials used for Zedds footwear are premium in terms of quality and design and are different from the products of its counterparts. We are in sync with international brands, Rawtani states.
The price range varies from Rs.795 to Rs.2,400 for each pair. While the womens footwear range starts from Rs.795 and goes up to Rs.1,500, the mens collection goes up to Rs.2,400. The company targets upper middle, elite and corporate customers in between 18 to 50 years of age, clarifies Rawtani.
Zedds Store, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
LLocation: Jubilee Hills, Road No 2, opposite KBR National Park Size: 1,500 square feet Designer: In-house design team Interior design: Vivid Interiors Architecture and facades: Sourced locally Decorative and props: Sourced locally Digital media: The Art Department Signage and graphics: The Art Department POS equipment: HCL
Promoting the brand
As part of the plan, Zedds has tied up with entertainment majors PVR and Cinemax to promote its products through kiosks across their locations in India. The kiosks are of 15x18 square feet in
size. As we have seen, at least 80 out of 100 people coming to watch movies are going forward to the display counters, says Rawtani. He explains that the concept of displaying products at these locations works very well in further drawing the customers interest to visit the full-size stores.
Given the apparent success of the concept, the company, which currently operates four such kiosks, is planning to add another 10 kiosks this fiscal, including five in Maharastra and three in Indore and Jaipur. The company is also tying up with FM channels like Big FM and Radio Mirchi to promote the brand across India.
Segment entry Zedds displays little interest in adding kids footwear to its portfolio in the near future. However, Rawtani informs that the company is working on designs of bags and accessories to expand its existing offer. High-end bags, exclusive belts and leather products are the categories that we want to add in the near future, he corroborates.
The roadmap As part of its aggressive expansion policy, the company is keen in partnering with franchisees and is also in talks with department stores including Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop as well as Central Mall of Future Group. The company plans to open around 15 outlets including nine franchised stores in the next three years. We are planning to enter nine cities with franchise partnerships in one year from now. In the first phase of expansion, we invite franchisees in cities such as Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Indore, Jaipur and Nagpur, Rawtani informs. He further states that for the proposed expansion the company would prefer malls where footfalls are very high, but it wouldnt mind opening stand-alone stores as well, provided the locations are appropriate.
The company is looking at a turnover of around Rs.2 - 2.5 crore from its retail operations this fiscal. Also, the company, which claims around 17 per cent market share in south India, targets around 42 per cent share in the same market in three years ttimeime and around 30 per cent sharsharee in the pan-Indiapan-India market during the same period.
Nolte - makes life live better!
By SangitaGhosh
22 Jun 2009
The story has been read 838 times.
Nolte Group, a 620 million Euro manufacturing company that has a heritage of 85 years is one of the largest and fastest growing furniture companies in the world. Nolte has the reputation for pioneering the production line technique in the manufacture of furniture, forever revolutionising the industry worldwide.
Nolte-Möbel GmbH & Co. KG is today the second largest producer of fitted kitchens in Germany and one of the 5 leading manufacturers of wardrobes and bedroom ranges in Europe. The company is a fully integrated furniture company, where it is involved in all stages of the business from manufacturing the chipboards that constitutes the completed kitchen and bedroom units to its delivery at the customer's end, completing the cycle with the recycling of used chipboards.
The Nolte range of products, which is manufactured exclusively in Germany, is marketed through its network of 20,000 retail outlets around the globe. All Nolte kitchens are certified by various reputed, neutral institutes for safety including the GS Certification and thus the kitchen surfaces are also treated as component parts in accordance with the DIN 68861 standards.
Concept and offerings Manufactured only in Germany, Nolte products available in India comprise a wide range of kitchens, completely co-ordinated bedrooms and walk-in wardrobes and even entertainment consoles, cabinets and book shelves from the brand Gwinner. The range also includes designer bedrooms from JOOP!, which is Germany's largest fashion brand.
Recently the brand opened its fourth exclusive concept store 'Nolte Home Studio' at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad and also makes its entry into the city.
"Nolte has always stood for quality, style and innovation. Although we are in over 40 of the most developed countries, our interest in India is special and the last three years have proved to us that the market is growing, even in this global downturn, said Manoj Gupta, director, Nolte Hyderabad. Unlike many other international players, Nolte is catering to a wider market from the mid to the mid-upper end, for both lifestyle apartments and high-end villas, added Gupta. "Moreover, with our inimitable commitment to quality, we are confident of being able to cater to the Indian consumer who is in-sync with the latest in lifestyle and fashion trends of Europe, further viewed Gupta.
In Nolte customers are assured of world-class design, style, functionality and perfection with the wide and latest range. With 85 of pioneering innovation and style, Nolte today spans the globe, from the USA and Europe to the Gulf and Japan. Given the design, production expertise and flexibility, Nolte is found today in some of the finest projects across the world like Highburry (UK), Parkvadi (Turkey), Sama Towers (Dubai), I-Tai City (Taiwan) apart form key projects in Bangalore and Mumbai in India.
While the company sets design trends in our European markets, the products have also been designed to Indian needs. Specially designed software, a team of design professionals, German consultant designers, German-trained installers and an evaluation process helps homeowners and
professionals arrive at the right solution amidst the wide variety.
Nolte Kitchens offer high levels of storage, friendly innovative features, and plenty of space that makes the kitchen a warm, inviting hub. Basic Nolte design uses many concepts that are distinct viz. 'Silent Comfort' or soft closing that ensures that even if you bang the closets shut it will make a soft sound; Lip sealing along the edges, which keep dust and insects out and iscolour coordinated and hence unseen; interior and exterior finishes are matched.
The Nolte kitchen is suited for the Indian heavy cooking and frying styles and come with a warranty of 5 years.
Nolte Bedrooms are stylish and completely coordinated. Wardrobes are organised with sliding, hinged or folding doors, beds, side-tables and chest of drawers designed and engineered the German way are available in a wide range of shapes, styles, sizes, colours and finishes. With innumerable features to suit the idea of convenience, utility and lifestyle of the customer, Nolte offers various features with Security Locks, an additional feature introduced specially for Indian homes. Also, higher wardrobes, akin to 'lofts' were introduced for India.
Nolte is prepared to cater to the both the sprawling bungalow as well as a smaller apartment space. Since all Nolte solutions are modular in nature, one can add on additional kitchen cabinets or wardrobe space even after years, making it cost-saving and efficient.
India venture Before launching in Hyderabad, Nolte already had two stores in Bangalore and one in Mumbai and now plans to open four to five stores in the financial year 2009-10 with Delhi, slated as being the next, later this year.
The Group, made its foray in India with the opening of its first concept store in Bangalore in 2006 in partnership with the SJR Group, a Bangalore based real estate developer. Now the brand is planning to focus on the Indian market through its exclusive concept stores called 'Nolte Home Studio' across the country with a wide range of furniture collections and kitchen setup modules, says SuchitaTalwar, director, Nolte Home Studio, India.
According to her, "Indian customers today are well travelled and have discerning taste for good quality, design and value. And that is precisely what Nolte offers."
The Nolte Home Studio at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad is spread over an area of 4,500 sq. ft. and showcases the latest collection of Germany's noted fashion label 'JOOP' beside Nolte's own collection.
"Nolte will cater to the discerning Hyderabadi consumers with the latest range, straight from Europe. In our growing global retail presence in India, Hyderabad is itself a significant market," commented Gupta.
The price range of furniture for bedrooms starts from Rs 1.25 lakhs to 13 lakhs and for kitchens from
Rs 2 lakhs and can go up to as high as even Rs 35 lakhs depending on sizes, combinations and finishes. "The future of luxurious, high-priced products in India is bright where the decisive factor
would be quality and longevity," says Talwar. For the Hyderabad studio, Nolte has a targeted turnover of six crores for current fiscal, informs Gupta.
Nolte Hyderabad LLocation: Plot No. 41/B, Road No. 5, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad Area:. 4,500 sq. ft Store Designer/Architect:Kraftwerk, Nolte India, Nolte Germany MMerchandise mix: German and Indian suppliers Store Designer/Architect: Mohan Consultants LLighting (Supplier/Brand): Wipro Flooring (Supplier/Brand): Stoneman Flooring Display Systems (Supplier/Brand): From Nolte
LLooking forward "Our research shows that in the coming two years the size of the Indian furniture market will grow to 2 million. Indian customers have a discerning taste for good quality and design and that is precisely what Nolte offers," observes Gupta.
Supporting Gupta, Tawar further stated, "We see India as a very potential market and the last three years of our operation supports our view. Our product and price range cater to a wide range of customers from the middle to the upper class in the Indian context."
According to Nolte, the brand is expecting a turnover of Rs 100 crore in India by 2011. "We are also looking at a Delhi launch in the next three months and then Chennai will be our target, informs Talwar.
MMother Earth Back to Nature
By Nishi Roy
22 Jun 2009
The story has been read 993 times.
Industree and the Future Group recently launched Mother Earth, an 11,000 square feet flagship store in the centre of Bangalores cosmopolitan residential areas Indiranagar and Koramangala Intermediate Ring Road. The store has a wide range of carefully selected merchandise that helps build environment and social sustainability under the categories of home, apparel and food. Mother Earth sources a large part of its merchandise from rural producers and fair trade partners
and thus encourages green, artesian skills, which eventually help in providing non-farm based incomes to its rural masses.
The exterior cladding of red-Sal wood of the store is one of the arresting design features, which attract the attention of the shopper as soon as he/she approaches the outlet. Apart from being a cheaper alternative to the composite aluminium which is mostly used by the builders, this red-sal wood is grown in plantations and secondary forests and therefore, does not contribute to deforestation.
The east façade of the building and the clear-window-glass allows for a plenty of natural light to stream into the shop and thus reduces the need for artificial lighting. Open-able windows in the south and west facades give ample opportunity for cross ventilation inside the outlet, and thus not only lower the need for air-conditioning, but most importantly make the shop naturally ventilated and aired.
The rough slate flooring, sustainable wood fixtures and raw MDF finished with wax/ linseed oil is aesthetically designed across three floors. The ground floor houses organic food, personal care products, mens apparel and gifts. The first floor is dedicated to women and youth and includes apparel, accessories and jewellery. The second floor, apart from having an extensive selection of home décor and linen, also includes a small café where shoppers can lounge around with organically-prepared snacks and hot/cold beverages.
Conversational in nature, the in-store signages focus on sharing experiences of consumers and the choices they make, rather than announcing the benefits to the producers and the environment. Skills, materials, crafts, organic food and innovations are all explored through dialogues that feature through the store. A material gallery showcases craft skills from across the country and the heritage section features floor tiles made in natural materials.
To lower their carbon-footprint imprints, a conscious effort has been made to source materials from areas in close proximity for instance, the stone is from nearby Hoskete and glass from Chennai.
In response to a query as to what was the inspiration behind the Mother Earth Store, NeelamChhiber, managing director of Mother Earth, said, INDUSTREE is dedicated to providing rural livelihoods in India through the artisanal sector, producing contemporary products. It has a for- profit design, distribution, retail and export model, while the production base is in the process of being converted to a producer owned base.
The producer company base is being coordinated by the not-for-profit Industree Crafts Foundation. It is envisaged that eventually an artisanal MFI would be seeded to fund the working capital requirements of these companies. MFIs globally, are currently highly localised, while markets are highly globalised. The current strategy being employed is the conversion of the for-profit brand entity, into becoming part producer owned, while the production base belongs proportionally, more to producers. This is the best self-empowerment tool, eventually ensuring producers move up the value chain, towards higher wages, with the help of self governance on quality and productivity issues, extremely crucial in this sector, he added.
According to Chhiber, Mother Earth is being promoted so as to mainstream this thinking within the Indian consumer, so he /she comes of age, being provided with a conscious consumption source. What better than to link these principles which are green in their thinking to green products, products those are good for the producers as well as the environment, he asks. There can be no green movement in India unless it looks at social improvements. Mother Earth aims to do just that. Keeping this in mind, Industree was moved to approach Future Group to take a stake in it, to enable it to compete with other players in modern retail. This partnership is sure to make Mother Earth a strongly performing brand.
MMother Earth, Bangalore
Designer: Jacob Matthew, Idiom Architecture and Facades: Wooden cladding Fixtures: Dovetail/ Inhouse Flooring: Slate sourced locally Furniture: Inhouse / Dovetail MDF waxed LLighting: Natural light supplemented by CFL, CDMT MMannequins and Forms: Made inhouse in cane External Signage: Sunboard Internal Signage Screen printed MDF; Printed paper graphics mounted on MDF POS equipment: Software Shoper 9; Hardware -- Acer
MMerchandise Mother Earths eclectic range of products includes organic and natural foods, home and personal care, gifts, home decor and apparel. These are all sold under sub-brands of Earth Home, Earth Food and Earth Fashion.
Besides a large number of the products being designed in-house, or in collaboration with craftsmen, the store is also the umbrella for a lot of other NGOs, studios and craftspeople who have their own designs and merchandise.
Earth Home works with traditional artisans and craft skills. This sub-brand helps to redesign existing products and allows them to enjoy a natural synergy within a contemporary, urban living environment. Wide range of products for the living room, dining room, bed room, knick-knacks (traditional gold leaf painted marble), furnishings (appliqué worked, block-printed and fine kantha embroidered bed covers and cushicushionon covers), curtains,curtains, crockercrockery(handy(hand-painted-painted ceramicceramic tableware), toys (natural lacquer coloured wooden toys and games, made with palm leaves) accessories and gifts are included under the Earth Home sub-brand.
Earth Food includes a wide variety of natural and organic cereals, lentils, flour, spices, dry-fruits, snacks and even vegan ready-to-eat. On offer are original mixes like the Kancheepuramidli (traditional ingredients are blended to create idlis that bring home the traditional taste of Kancheepuram). This sub-brand also extends to a range of organic teas, coffees, baby food, and even herbal and natural home care and personal care products.
Earth Fashion is all about eco-friendly style, comfort and beauty. The Earth Fashion range gives the environmentally-aware-consumer the option of blending traditional weaves and prints with contemporary styling and silhouettes (for eg, Block prints in tunics, conventional handloom ikkats in office wear, bohemian Moroccan pants in traditional prints etc). Apart from a large variety of garments available from natural fibres 100% cotton (even 100 percent organic-cotton, Zeme), linen, handloom or hand-block-printed, or hand-embellished manufactured by SHGs NGOs and rural artisans, this sub-brand also includes precious, semi-precious and fashion jewellery.
All products available carry forward the ethos of the store; products sourced and developed are natural, healthy and cost-effective and provide opportunities to the rural community. To facilitate them in this, Industree has partnered with leading Indian NGOs and fair trade partners like SEWA, SASHA, CFM, ANT, SADHANA, SAHAJ, DARAM, that work across states in India.
Negating the perception that eco-friendly/organic products are priced higher than usual, Chhiber says, The products have been priced very competitively and can be benchmarked against any mainstream retailer.
LLooking forward The customer response has been great. We have realised that the customer is looking for products that are well priced, stylish and guilt-free. We have focused on bringing value to the customer who is very aware of issues relating to the environment, social and economic sustainability, Chhiber says.
Currently, Bangalore is the first such store in the country. Our current stores in Kolkata and Delhi are also changing to Mother Earth. Further, we plan to launch 12 large format stores and another 24 small format stores in the next five years he informs.
IIMMAGES Shopping Centre Awards 2010
06 May 2010
The story has been read 2444 times.
India Shopping Centre Forum (ISCF), a two-day conference organised by IMAGES Group, is an unparalleled platform for the shopping centre development business in India Offering a comprehensive view of the countrys most exciting retail real estate projects, occupier concepts and support services. The IMAGES Shopping Centre Awards acknowledge and honour achievements in the creation of large-scale retail and entertainment spaces across India. IMAGES is proud to present
the winner's gallery of the IMAGES SHOPPING CENTRE AWARDS 2010.
1.1. MMost Admired Shopping Centre of the Year Non MMetros
Winner:Treasure Island (Indore)
B S Nagesh, vice chairman, Shopper's Stop Limited presented the award to AvnishHasija, executive VP Leasing EWDL.
Nominees:
yy Iscon Mega Mall
yy The Westend Mall
yy Forum Mart, (Bhuvaneshwar)
yy Fun Republic, (Lucknow)
yy Treasure Island (Indore)
yy Centre Square Mall
2.2. MMost Admired Shopping Centre of the Year (up to 5 lakh sqft GLLA)A)
Winner:Select Citywalk (Delhi)
Thomas Varghese, CEO, Aditya Birla Retail Limited presented the award to NeerajGhei, director, Select Infrastructure and Yog Raj Arora, director Select Infrastructure.
Nominees:
yy City Centre, Salt Lake (Kolkata)
yy The Forum (Bangalore)
yy Treasure Island (Indore)
yy City Center, Gurgaon
yy Inorbit Mall (Malad, Mumbai)
yy Select Citywalk (Delhi)
33.. MMost Admired Shopping Centre of the Year (more than 5 lakh sq. ft GLLA)A)
Winner:Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)
Phil McArthur, senior VP, India Ivanhoe Cambridge, and TusharDhingra, COO, Big Cinemas presented the away the award to DeeptiGoel, head, Leasing Ambience Mall.
Nominees:
yy Oberoi Mall (Mumbai)
yy High Street Phoenix (Mumbai)
yy South City Mall (Kolkata)
yy Great India Place (Noida)
yy Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)
44.. MMost Admired Shopping Centre of the Year - Speciality MMallall
Winner:DLF Emporio (Delhi) Dr Sumas Wongsunopparat EVP, Corporate Strategy Office Central Pattana, Thailand, and Vishal Mirchandani, Provogue India Ltd. presented the award to SudeepChhabra, head marketing, DLF Emporio.
Nominees:
yy Homeland Mall (Kolkata)
yy Gold Souk (Gurgaon)
yy The Collection (UB City, Bengaluru)
yy Ishanya (Pune)
yy DLF Emporio (Delhi)
5.5. MMost Admired Shopping Centre of the Year MMetros (population 440 lakh plus)
Winner: Select Citywalk (Delhi)
Sunil Biyani, director, Future Group presented the award to NeerajGhei, director, Select
Infrastructure and Yog Raj Arora, director, Select Infrastructure.
Nominees:
yy The Forum (Bengaluru)
yy South City Mall (Kolkata)
yy Select Citywalk (Delhi)
yy Inorbit Mall (Malad, Mumbai)
yy Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)
yy Great India Place (Noida)
66:: MMost Admired Shopping Centre LLaunch of the Year North
Winner: Alpha One (Amritsar)
JayantKochar received the award on behalf of Alpha One from Anil Makhija, VP SKIDATA India Pvt
Ltd and Wolfgang Pekarek, Senior Sales Manager/ Business Development CarAccess.
Nominees:
yy Alpha One (Amritsar)
yy DLF Promenade
yy The Celebration Mall (Amritsar)
yy Gold Souk Grande
yy DLF Place Saket (Delhi)
77:: MMost Admired Shopping Centre LLaunch of the Year South
Winner:Mantri Square (Bengaluru)
Mikio Suzuki, Amtech Exim Indoor Recreation and Anchalee Suzuki presented the award to JerminaMenon, GM Mall Marketing, Mantri Developers
Nominees:
yy Mantri Square (Bengaluru)
yy Ampa Skywalk (Chennai)
yy GVK One
yy Forum Value Mall
yy Inorbit, Hyderabad
88:: MMost Admired Shopping Centre LLaunch of the Year West
Winner: Palladium (Mumbai)
Bollywood directors Pankaj and AsmitaParashar presented the award to RajendraKalkar, centre director, The Phoenix Mills Limited.
Nominees:
yy Palladium (Mumbai)
yy Magneto
yy Korum (Thane)
yy R-City Mall (Mumbai)
yy Jewel Square
99 :: MMost Admired Shopping Centre of the Year - MMarketing & Consumer Promotion
Winner:Inorbit Mall, Malad
Kishore Bhatija, MD, Inorbit and Nishank Joshi, AGM Corporate Communications, Inorbit and received the award from Shilpa Malik, co-founder and CEO, Starcentres and PranaySinha, MD, Starcentres.
Nominees:
yy Inorbit Mall (Malad, Mumbai)
yy Select Citywalk (Delhi)
yy Ambience Mall (Gurgaon)
yy The Forum (Bangalore)
yy Alpha One (Amritsar)
yy Celebrations (Amritsar)
10: MMost Admired Shopping MMall of the Year - Best ROI For Retailers
Winner: The Forum (Bengaluru)
GauravMahajan, COO, Westside and Christopher Lanksbury, director, Chapman Taylor presented the
award to S Raghunandhan, CEO, Prestige Retail Group.
Nominees:
yy Select Citywalk
yy Ambience
yy Inorbit
yy High Street Phoenix
yy Metropolitan Mall
yy The Forum (Bengaluru)
yy Chennai City Centre
11. MMost Admired Shopping Centre Developer of the Year
Winner:Inorbit Mall Pvt Ltd.
Amitabh Taneja, chief convenor, ISCF and head, IMAGES Group presented the award to Kishore Bhatija, MD Inorbit and his team.
Nominees:
yy Prestige Group
yy DLF
yy Inorbit Mall Pvt Ltd
yy Phoenix Mills
yy EWDL
yy Kshitij Property Solutions Pvt Ltd
yy Bengal Ambuja
yy Ambience Group
IndiaRetailing Bureau
Retail Courses
Retail management course is arguably the most happening specialisation course today, much to the annoyance of generalists in fact. The fuelling factor has been, no points for guessing, the retail boom. The sprouting of chains like Sabka Bazaar, Subhiksha, Reliance Fresh has today led to employment generation at the lower end, but it has also created openings in the management cadre. This has led to a demand for trained MBAs with knowledge in this domain, and management
institutes have been quick to fill the gap by starting courses catering to the sector.