French retail major Carrefour will start its wholesale cash-and-carry business in India, with its first store coming up in Delhi within the next 2-3 months.
“Our first wholesale cash-and-carry outlet will be opened in Seelampur and have over 30,000 products varieties,” Carrefour India Managing Director Jean Noel Bironneau told journalists here on Tuesday.
“We have aggressive expansion plans for future,” he said.
Carrefour is starting the cash-and-carry business as a wholly-owned subsidiary, it is also looking for partners in India.
“We are still exploring options, including the franchise route for further growth in India,” he said.
Open to partnership
“We are open to partnership and in the next few months we will identify a partner and it will then be announced by our global headquarters.
“With organised retail contributing to only 5 per cent of the total sector, we look at India as a key market for our future growth. There is long-term profitability here,” Mr. Bironneau added.
To source from India
The world's second largest retailer also expects its sourcing from India for international operations to grow rapidly in the coming years from the current level of $150 million annually.
The company now sources fruits and vegetables, decor items and other things from India for its international operations, including in the UAE and Europe.
