Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 03: Carrefour has re-entered India after a decade-long absence from the market. The French retailer’s comeback is anchored by Dubai-based Apparel Group. Their strategy prioritises organic expansion over rapid, mass-market rollout plans. Multiple stores are planned across Delhi-NCR in coming months. Acquisitions remain an additional route to accelerate future growth.
Apparel Group opened a Carrefour hypermarket exceeding 50,000 square feet recently. The Greater Noida store marks Carrefour’s second attempt at India. Its first entry began in 2010 through cash-and-carry wholesale operations. That venture ended in 2014, when five stores were shut. Poor performance and lack of a local partner contributed then.
This time, Apparel Group chairman Nilesh Ved described a calibrated growth approach. Another NCR store is expected within roughly four weeks. Western India expansion is targeted for launch by next summer. Fifty food and grocery stores are planned over five years. Ved said the company wants controlled, deliberate growth, not speed.
Acquisitions remain firmly on the table alongside organic store expansion. Ved said Carrefour is actively evaluating potential M&A opportunities too. However, no specific acquisition target or transaction has been confirmed. The organic route currently takes priority over dealmaking for growth.
Carrefour’s India strategy initially centres on hypermarkets carrying roughly 50,000 SKUs. Formats like Carrefour Express, Premium and Gourmet may follow later. The company has adopted a compact hypermarket format for India. These stores span roughly 35,000 to 50,000 square feet typically. Smaller convenience-focused supermarkets near 10,000 square feet are also considered.
E-commerce and quick commerce will follow once supply chains mature. Ved said physical stores will initially drive the India strategy. Dark stores are not part of the early expansion plan. The company plans to shift strategy once conditions in India dictate.
Profitability remains central to Apparel Group’s broader growth philosophy overall. Ved said the company prioritises profitable growth over cash-burn models. India’s retail sector is projected near Rs 190 lakh crore by 2030. New malls and rising consumption offer entry opportunities despite late arrival.
Trade agreements with the UK and UAE could support cross-border sourcing. A prospective India-EU trade pact may further enable two-way flows. Carrefour executive Patrick Lasfargues noted this marks a shift from earlier operations. The earlier India venture relied on a B2B cash-and-carry model. The current approach follows a business-to-consumer hypermarket-led strategy instead.
Carrefour’s renewed India push combines caution with long-term ambition strategically. Its success will likely depend on disciplined execution and partnership strength.
