Sahara FMCG venture to open 1,000 exclusive outlets in AP

Company will also be expanding its dealer network by signing over 1,000 new distributors in next 3 months to reach 250,000 grocery stores

Sahara Q Shop, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and retail arm of Sahara India Group, is planning to open 1,000 exclusive business outlets (EBOs) across Andhra Pradesh by March 2016 to capture the growing consumer market in the state.

Besides, the company will be expanding its dealer network by signing over 1,000 new distributors in the next three months to reach 250,000 grocery stores, it said in a release on Monday. 

 

Sahara Q Shop, which entered the retail sector in August 2012, currently manufactures and sells consumer merchandise in 431 cities in 14 states through 1,085 exclusive retail stores. Today, it has 895 products in its basket ranging from staples to processed food, personal care to home care, general merchandise, consumer durables and lifestyle products. 

 

“Andhra Pradesh is a very important market in our plans to grow exponentially. We see a growth of 30 per cent in demand for FMCG in the state,” said Romie Dutt, executive director worker at Sahara Q Shop. 

 

The company proposes to open 100 stores in the state by March 2014 and take the number to 500 in the next one year, before reaching the 1,000-EBO mark by the end of March 2016.

 

Sahara Q Shop will generate direct employment opportunities for 1,900 people from the state through its operations, and for 5,000 working for its business associates like distributors and vendors, the company said, adding that it would also source products from local vendors, spices and pickles to start with, before adding local assortments to the product portfolio going forward.