December 1, 2017
The US-based Walmart, which opened its first Indian store at Amritsar in the state of Punjab in 2009, already owns and operates 21 Best Price Modern Wholesale outlets across nine states
The expansion plan was announced on December 1st by Krish Iyer, Walmart India’s chief executive officer, on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s retail summit
Walmart’s members only Best Price Modern Wholesale platform offers around 5,000 products, including food and non-food items, from its outlets that typically span over 50,000 sq ft
India is the world’s fifth-largest retail market, which is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10 per cent to US$1.6 trillion by 2026 from US$641 billion in 2016
Walmart India, the local arm of the world’s largest retailer Walmart Inc, has entered into agreements to open 20 new outlets across the country. The US-based company, which opened its first Indian store at Amritsar in the state of Punjab in 2009, already owns and operates 21 Best Price Modern Wholesale outlets across nine states. The new store plan comes as part of Walmart’s broader strategy to open 50 new outlets over the coming five years, taking its total Indian store count to 70. The expansion, work on which has already started, will lead to five to seven new stores in 2018.
The plan was announced on December 1st by Krish Iyer, Walmart India’s chief executive officer, during his conversation with the Press Trust of India on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s retail summit.The company is yet to announce further details related to the expansion. The Best Price stores – a members only platform – offer around 5,000 products, including food and non-food items, at wholesale prices.A typical Best Price store spans over 50,000 sq ft and caters to three main types of buyers – resellers, offices and institutions and hotels, restaurants and caterers.
India is the world’s fifth-largest retail market, which is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10 per cent to US$1.6 trillion by 2026 from US$641 billion in 2016.This has attracted new foreign investors as well as indigenous players who seek to tap into the sector’s growth potential. Retail has strong potential as India has the second largest population with expanding middle class, improving affordability, rapid urbanisation and fast growth of internet. It already accounts for over 10 per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and around 8 per cent of the employment.
