US retail giant Walmart has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Maharashtra Government for setting up 15 wholesale cash and carry stores in the State. It will bring in an investment of ₹900 crore and generate 30,000 jobs in the State.

Walmart already operates in nine States with 21 stores. In Maharashtra, it already has stores in Amravati and Aurangabad. It operates the B2B stores under Best Price Modern Wholesale brand.

The office of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in a tweet said that the MoU was signed between the Industries Department and the company. Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, was present at the MoU signing ceremony.

A senior Maharashtra Government official told BusinessLine that the company will primarily focus on food and agriculture products in the State. It has already identified Nagpur, Nashik, Pune and Bhiwandi, near Mumbai, as possible locations for setting up stores. The company is in the process of setting up its supply chain for procuring goods in the State. According to the company’s Web site, Walmart India owns and operates 21 stores offering nearly 5,000 items in a cash and carry wholesale format. The Indian arm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walmart Stores Inc. In May 2009, Walmart opened its first store in Amritsar, Punjab.

Chairman & Managing Director of Arambhan Hospitality, Alfred Arambhan, said that organised players such as Walmart will bring in a sea change in hospitality business because their delivery schedules are very strictly followed. Unlike unorganised players, they have a very clear and transparent billing system, which is supported by a good back-end team.

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