Department store operator Trent has revealed an ambitious Rs 40 crore plan to enter the food retail sector, opening one hundred grocery outlets within the next five years.
The stores will be established through acquisition or the development of green-field sites, said the company, adding that the focus would be on the Western and Northern regions of India.
A press release issued by the company revealed that: “Trent’s entry into food retailing will complement its operations of garment retailing through the Westside chain. The stores will be in self-service supermarket formats, selling food and non-food items, including wet groceries.”
Trent, also currently involved in expansion with the addition of three more department stores in Delhi and Kolkata, is hoping to gain a significant share in the Indian food retailing sector, estimated to be worth Rs 300,000 crore but dominated by smaller independent retailers.
