Tata Group’s retail arm Trent on Monday said it will soon have a separate segment ‘Healthy Choices’ at its stores to provide easy access to customers.
“What we have seen is that health consciousness is on the rise. We have put together a range of products which you find in the market at one place. It is an umbrella brand that will offer products... at an affordable price,” Trent operated hypermarket Star Bazaar Chief Executive Jamshed Daboo told PTI.
The health food segment is growing at about 15 per cent annually and the company will roll out the ‘Healthy Choices’ formats at all its 15 stores. The company will also have its own brands apart from those manufactured by others, he said.
“We have got a few private labels that conform to this, which we will be having on display. This is not an initiative to increase our private label share but to provide healthy food items at one place,” he said.
He also claimed that there is no difference in this trend in the smaller towns. “We don’t see any difference in the trend. We see it happening in various other towns too,” he said.
On expansion, he said, “This year we will be opening three more stores. Our standard plan is to open four-five stores each year and we typically invest Rs 8-10 crore in a store.”
Star Bazaar has a franchise arrangement with the London-based Tesco.
On plans after the government allowed FDI in multi-brand retail, Daboo parried the question saying, “We are happy with our relationship that is for sure.”