Reliance Fresh

Infobox_Company
company_name = Reliance Fresh Supermarkets
company_
company_type = Supermarket
company_slogan = "Growth Through Value Creation"
foundation = 30 October 2006
location = flagicon|IND Mumbai, India
key_people = flagicon|IND Mukesh Ambani, CEO
num_employees =
industry = Retail
products =
revenue =
homepage = [http://www.ril.com www.ril.com]

Reliance Fresh is the convenience store format which forms part of the retail business of of Reliance Industries of India which is headed by Mukesh Ambani. Reliance plans to invest in excess of Rs 25000 crores in the next 4 years in their retail division. The company already has in excess of 560 reliance fresh outlets across the country. These stores sell fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, groceries, fresh juice bars and dairy products.

A typical Reliance Fresh store is approximately 3000-4000 square. feet and caters to a catchment area of 1-2 km.

Post launch, in a dramatic shift in its positioning and mainly due to the circumstances prevaling in UP, West Bengal and Orissa, it was mentioned recently in news Dailies that, Reliance Retail is moving out of stocking fruits and vegetables. Reliance Retail has decided to minimise its exposure in the fruit and vegetable business and position Reliance Fresh as a pure play super market focusing on categories like food, FMCG, home, consumer durables, IT and wellness , with food accounting for the bulk of the business. The company may not stock fruit and vegetables in some states, Orissa being one of them. Though Reliance Fresh is not exiting the fruit and vegetable business altogether, it has decided not to compete with local vendors partly due to political reasons, and partly due to its inability to create a robust supply chain. This is quite different from what the firm had originally planned. When the first Reliance Fresh store opened in Hyderabad last October, not only did the company said the store’s main focus would be fresh produce like fruits and vegetables at a much lower price, but also spoke at length about its “farm-to-fork’’ theory. The idea the company spoke about was to source from farmers and sell directly to the consumer removing middlemen out of the way.

Reliance Fresh, Reliance Mart, Reliance Digital, Reliance Trendz, Reliance Footprint, Reliance Wellness, Reliance Jewels, Reliance Timeout and Reliance Super are various formats that Reliance has rolled out.

In addition, Reliance Retail has entered into an alliance with Apple for setting up a chain of Apple Specialty Stores branded as iStore, starting with Bangalore.

Controversy

Recently their stores in Jharkand faced the ire of mobs comprising of local vegetable vendors. They vandalised and attacked the stores claiming that they were stealing their livelihoods. [http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/13/stories/2007051304510800.htm]

In August 2007, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati ordered to close 10 new stores keeping view of Law & order situation. In November 2007, Reliance Fresh stores are attacked by Bharatiya Janshakti Party supporters headed by Uma Bharti.

References

‘Suicide’ squad against Reliance Fresh outlets'

Bhubaneswar: Traders and roadside vendors opposing the opening of Reliance Fresh outlets in Orissa on Saturday formed a “suicide” squad.

“As many as 100 youth today joined the squad as they prefer to die while fighting rather than facing starvation,” All-Orissa Roadside Vendors and Small Shop Owners Association president Pratap Sahu said.

Reports said the vendors formed the squad soon after a meeting. — PTI

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/30/stories/2007093057550100.htm date :Sept. 30 2007

External links

* [http://www.ril.com Reliance Official Site]
* [http://www.ril.com/html/business/business_retail.html Reliance Retail]
* Podbharti's [http://lite.podbharti.com/ep-3 podcast] reporting on the stone pelting incident at Reliance Fresh store at Ranchi.

See also

* List of Indian companies