Planet Retail 29 Feb 2008

According to reports in the local press, Reliance Industries has spun off Reliance Fresh as an independent company and is now planning to offer its own FMCG brands along with existing categories including fresh fruits and vegetables. A senior official (Reliance Fresh) said, "We will continue to have fruits and vegetables as one of our categories in spite of the protests in several States and our business will be extended beyond retail to having our own FMCG brands for general trade."

The company has also introduced its private labels in categories including milk and ghee (clarified butter). "There is tremendous size and opportunities in the foods business as most of the players are still small in size except, perhaps, Amul. We have been in the FMCG business with Dairy Pure for the past four-five months and see huge opportunity for growth in this area," he added. The group has consciously segregated its vegetarian and non-vegetarian products and has up a separate brand of stores - Delight (for the non-vegetarian products). "We understand the sensitivities of our customers and have kept the non-vegetarian and vegetarian businesses separate. There is a separate distribution centre and staff to cater to the non-vegetarian stores and now we are poised to open our first Delight store in Thane in Maharashtra," he added. Currently there are 15 Delight stores already operational in Chennai and Delhi.

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