Relish set to launch retail biz in imported food products

Relish Fine Food Private Limited is all set to launch a retail business in imported food products. The company will shortly be kicking off operations with a small store in Chennai and plans to extend this to a chain of 25 stores spread across the country in the next five years.

Speaking to Business Standard, Patrick Davenport, co-promoter of the venture, said: "We plan to sell about 700 items at this store. The wares will be a combination of self-branded and branded products."

With two of the co-promoters already having importing agencies, the sourcing of the wares are well taken care of, he pointed out, adding that some of the self-branded products will also be locally procured if they meet the international standards. Davenport, however, refused to divulge the proposed investment in the venture.

At present, Chennai has 'Nuts and Spices' and 'Amma Nana' in the exclusive retail of imported food products. Apart from this, the bigger supermarket chains such as Food World and Nilgiris have counters for these products.

Even some of the 'Mom and Pop' stores are stocking a few imported food items. Bimal Nanda, another co-promoter of Relish, said: "Though there is a grey market, it is getting depleted fast now."

Davenport sought to differentiate Relish's business from the existing players. "Unlike Nuts and Spices, we will be bringing in non-vegetarian products as well. Our focus will be on food items and will not be diluted to other stocks as seen in Amma Nana," Davenport said.

The first store at Chennai, spread over 1,200 sq ft, will stock cheese, muesli, oatmeals, pasta , sauces and dips, totilla chips, breakfast cereals, health drinks, soya products, canned meat, exotic fruits and chocolates from Europe, the US, Australia and other Asian countries. "We will also have an exclusive cheese counter and a bakery," Davenport said.

Nanda estimates the current market for imported food products in Chennai to be about Rs 20-25 lakh a month. This market is estimated to be growing at the rate of 10-15 per cent a year, say other market sources.

"To start with, we would be targetting to do about Rs 10 lakh business a month, seeking to penetrate the market faster," Nanda said.

From Chennai, Relish plans is to quickly expand to Pondicherry, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kochi, before moving to Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.

The company's target audience is not just the burgeoning population of expatriates in the Indian cities today, but also a bigger group of Indian professionals who have either lived abroad or travel enough to be exposed to the international food scene.

There are also the institutions and clubs that buy these products.