Writing under Bangalore as BHOPAL not listed!!!!

I was visiting my cousin in Bhopal. On the way there, I noticed a Reliance Fresh Outlet on Kolar Road, almost next door, so I just strolled down to see the outlet. This is my first look at Reliance Fresh, which has been so much in the news, and I must say I was impressed with the effort.

Whenever Reliance Group does anything, it does so on a massive scale. This retail initiaive in no different, and scale is probably the fulcrum of the strategy. They are looking to build ecomomies of scale, build buying power and cover the market they enter. I say this because on going to the railway station at Habibganj, I noticed another store, and it obviously is not the only other one! Similar was the situation at Indore... Pretty soon they might just become a major threat to small and big players alike even in the hinterland of our country. I, for one, would not be surprised if that did happen. While we have read a lot about the crores they want to put in, it was quite revealing to see their roll-out in action!

Coming to the actual store, I visited the outlet on Kolar Road, Bhopal. It is located optimally on this road, midway between sarvadharm and nayapura. To those who have not visited Bhopal, Kolar Road is the most happening area for real estate in Bhopal, alongwith Hoshangabad Road / Gulmohar. That way, it covers the enitre Kolar sector. A masterstroke of a location. I wonder of all of them are along the similar tactics.

The Store Itself:

Pros:
Vegetables: Abundant stocks, full range available. They have managed to almost the entire variety under one roof. You would have to roam the entire mandi to match it!
Perishables: Superb, to coin one word. Entire range of products in this category, including sub-brands {in cheese spreads, for ex, you will find plain, pepper, masala etc}. The refrigeration facility was also top of the line 
Gorceries: Again abundant in the range, be it dals, rice, legumes {kabuli chana, green gram etc}, spices, ready - to - cook items {like noodles, gits etc}, biscuits & confectioneries - you name it, chances are the’ve got it
Floor space, layout: Excellent use of space which tends to give a roomy feel, unlike BB. Makes for an enjoyable shopping experience indeed
Merchandising / shelf stocking: Nice, neat and orderly- unlike at most super stores
Billing: Fast. I noticed something like 8 - 10 well spaced billing counters, which makes for faster turn-around. Normal super stores that have cropped up usually have 3 - 5 billing counters
Manpower: Well trained, well behaved, friendly and clear in their communication.
Bakery Items: Again well stocked. This is what makes this place unique

Cons:
Prices: Not exactly a disadvantage, but not the cheapest either. Differs from category to category.
Cosmetics: Woefully Insufficient. While it is not in their USP, nevertheless it is a smart move to stock this range, as Indians prefer to pick their entire monthly purchases from one place. For this  reason, this category needs to be improved upon
Soaps: Ditto. I treat this as seperate as this is one area that they really need improvement
Freshness: The vegetables did not look to be fresh.
Durables / Luggage: Why keep them? Better use the space for something else!

Overall, I came away highly impressed with my first visit to a Reliance Fresh outlet. It is going to be very interesting to see how they develop. My only disconnect: they are trying for too much, mixing a gorcery outlet into a one-stop shop a la BB 

Best suited for:

Home makers