From A Staid Consumer Co-operative To A Modern And Eco-Friendly Grocery Chain
Progressive Grocer|OCTOBER 2019
Sahakari Bhandar is Mumbai’s most visited and preferred grocery store for more than 50 years. With 24 branches strategically located from Colaba to Virar, it offers convenience, good quality, safety and consistent availability of products to its customers. The legacy of trust continues since 1966, servicing more than millions of happy families. Sahakari Bhandar, although a co-operative, is an exciting blend of modern retailing with deep understanding of daily needs of its customers. Progressive Grocer spoke to Sanjay Shete, Chairman – Sahakari Bhandar, about the metamorphosis of a once sleepy stateowned cooperative retail chain into a bustling, bright and swanky neighborhood store chain today, which sells everything from groceries and frozen foods to household care and with a pleasant ambience and hygiene that have the stamp of professionalism everywhere.
Sanjay Kumar
From A Staid Consumer Co-operative To A Modern And  Eco-Friendly Grocery Chain

What is the customer proposition and market positioning of Sahakari Bhandar store chain today?

Sahakari Bhandar is primarily a neighborhood grocery store fulfilling the monthly baskets of consumers in and around the store’s neighborhood. We sell all the day-to-day necessities – fruits and vegetables, frozen foods, bakery, food grains, FMCG products, household care, general-purpose items, among others. The product range also includes hand-made diya batti to an eco-friendly Ganesha idol, home-made (not branded) fresh dosa atta, chutneys, biscuits, etc. Basically, the stores have all the day-to-day necessities expected of an ideal convenience store.

With its positioning of ‘Sahi Quality, Sahi Price!, people from the middle-income group and local residents looking for a fair price deal form a major part of the target group of Sahakari Bhandar stores. Women initially formed the main target group; however, over the past decade or so, with all the infrastructural changes made at the stores, thanks to the JV with Reliance, consumers come to Sahakari Bhandar with their families and children to enjoy the overall shopping experience.

We have a loyal base of customers who have been shopping at our stores for over 10, 15, 20 years and more, thanks to the quality of the products and their very competitive price. Also, due to the cooperative legacy of 40 years, the strategic locations of the stores, and their fair price image, Sahakari Bhandar enjoys a strong customer connect, which we are determined to build on and improve further.

Besides our neighborhood convenience stores, we have four new Smart SB stores, which are positioned as destination stores.

Tell us about the location strategy of your stores.

This story is from the OCTOBER 2019 edition of Progressive Grocer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the OCTOBER 2019 edition of Progressive Grocer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PROGRESSIVE GROCERView All
Gurgaon's First and Most Successful Independent F&G Retailer
Progressive Grocer

Gurgaon's First and Most Successful Independent F&G Retailer

SINCE LAUNCHING ITS FIRST OUTLET IN THE YEAR 2000 IN DLF GURGAON AT A TIME WHEN MODERN TRADE FOOD AND GROCERY STORES WERE NOWHERE ON THE RETAIL HORIZONS OF THE MILLENNIUM CITY, NEEDS SUPERMARKET HAS GROWN TO ADD 26 LARGE, MEDIUM AND SMALL STORES TO ITS KITTY, CLOCKING AN ADMIRABLE RUN RATE ON VARIOUS PARAMETERS OF RETAILING EXCELLENCE ALONG THE WAY. PROGRESSIVE GROCER SPOKE TO NEEDS SUPERMARKET’S MD AJAY DHAR, AND CEO, ARUN KHATTAR, ABOUT HOW THE GROCERY CHAIN HAS BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ITS OWN AND CLOCK STEADY GROWTH IN A HYPER-COMPETITIVE MARKET DOTTED WITH BIG-BOX NATIONAL RETAILERS AND THE SECRET SAUCE BEHIND ITS SUCCESS RECIPE.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August 2021
Paras Spices is innovating with unique products to meet new trends in the spices category
Progressive Grocer

Paras Spices is innovating with unique products to meet new trends in the spices category

CATEGORY WATCH FOOD STAPLES

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2021
Brands and retailers collaborate to promote the growth of non-alcoholic beverages
Progressive Grocer

Brands and retailers collaborate to promote the growth of non-alcoholic beverages

SUPER-HERB INFUSED BEVERAGES THAT BRING THE POWER-PACKED GOODNESS OF SUPERFRUITS ARE TAKING THE MARKET BY STORM. THESE NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CLAIM TO CONTAIN ZERO CALORIES, ZERO SUGAR, ZERO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, AND ZERO PRESERVATIVES AND ARE DESIGNED FOR TODAY’S MILLENNIAL-GEN WHO ARE SEEKING A HEALTHY DRINK WITH A TASTY TWIST.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2021
Just Outside the Box
Progressive Grocer

Just Outside the Box

THE HUMBLE PARKING LOT HAS BECOME A DIFFERENT KIND OF RETAIL DESTINATION AND HUB OF COMMERCE.

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2021
Increased Focus on Health, Wellness, and Immunity-boosting Products
Progressive Grocer

Increased Focus on Health, Wellness, and Immunity-boosting Products

SALES OF PACKAGED FOODS HAVE SURGED SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, AS HOME-BOUND CONSUMERS STOCKPILE FAMILIAR PRODUCTS THAT WON’T GO STALE QUICKLY. BREAKFAST CEREALS, INSTANT NOODLES, RICE AND COOKING FATS ARE AMONG THE PRODUCTS THAT HAVE SEEN THE STRONGEST GROWTH IN RECENT MONTHS.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2021
Consumer focus on hygiene & nutrition boosts packaged paneer sales
Progressive Grocer

Consumer focus on hygiene & nutrition boosts packaged paneer sales

THE DEMAND FOR CATEGORIES SUCH AS CHEESE AND PANEER HAS WITNESSED AN ALL-TIME NEW HIGH DURING THIS PANDEMIC THANKS TO THE VERSATILE NATURE OF THESE PRODUCTS. NOT ONLY IS PANEER DELICIOUS TO TASTE BUT DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE LOCKDOWN, THE INTERNET WAS TRENDING WITH UNIQUE, FUN AND EASY-TO-MAKE PANEER RECIPES.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2021
How Hormel Became a Snack Company
Progressive Grocer

How Hormel Became a Snack Company

ACQUISITIONS, ADJACENCIES AND INNOVATION DEFINE THE GLOBAL BRANDED FOOD COMPANY’S GROWTH STRATEGY

time-read
10+ mins  |
July 2021
The New Normal for Snacks
Progressive Grocer

The New Normal for Snacks

THE POST-PANDEMIC CONSUMER WILL DEMAND BETTER-FOR-YOU MEAL SOLUTIONS MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2021
The rise of superfoods and ways to mainstream them on retail shelves
Progressive Grocer

The rise of superfoods and ways to mainstream them on retail shelves

WHAT ARE SUPERFOODS AND THEIR BENEFITS AND WHY THESE PRODUCTS ARE WITNESSING A HUGE SURGE IN DEMAND? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF INFUSING THESE SUPERFOODS INTO OUR TRADITIONAL FOOD PRODUCTS, AND HOW CAN THEIR VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS BE RAMPED UP IN ON-GROUND SHELVES OF SUPERMARKETS AND RETAIL COUNTERS?

time-read
8 mins  |
July 2021
What is driving consumers to become more conscious of what they eat?
Progressive Grocer

What is driving consumers to become more conscious of what they eat?

WITH CONSUMERS BECOMING MORE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS, RETAILERS HAVE ALSO STARTED MAKING SHIFTS IN THEIR OWN MERCHANDISING AND MARKETING TO KEEP UP WITH THE TREND.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2021