Bharti-Walmart to start UP operations this year

LUCKNOW: Bharti-Walmart the 50:50 joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and the US based retail giant Walmart would be starting its operation in Uttar Pradesh with the opening of its cash and carry store in Lucknow, towards the end of this year.

The wholesale cash and carry operation is aimed at business to business customers and would cater to retailers, caterers, businessmen, and the neighborhood kirana stores among other institutional customers.
Bharti Walmart would also set up its back end supply chain operations and would open by the end of 2011 according to sources.

While Bharti Walmart officials did not confirm the news, senior officials of Ansal API confirmed that they have entered into a lease agreement with Bharti Walmart for their cash and carry store.

According to sources associated with the project, Bharti Walmart has recently signed an agreement to take on lease 60,000 sq feet of space in the Sushant Golf City township being developed by Ansal API in Lucknow.

Sources said that the cash and carry store of Bharti Walmart would throw open its doors by the end of 2011.
The cash and carry stores are typically spread over a huge area and stock thousands of food and non food items. They keep both fresh and frozen food items and sell a wide range of personal and home care products, electronic gadgets, garments etc.

Earlier in 2007, Reliance Retail had started its operations in Uttar Pradesh with the front end neighborhood stores called Reliance Fresh, which stocked food, vegetables, fruits and groceries. However it faced stiff resistance from small retailers and 'kirana' shop owners leading to the Mayawati government banning their operations in the state immediately.

Bharti-Walmart would be starting their operations in the state with the back end wholesale format and will cater exclusively to institutional customers as well as small retailers who would be able to source goods at cheap rates for selling in their neighborhood stores.