Spencer's largest hyper store opens in Kolkata; stocks 70,000 items under one roof

Mumbai: The RPG Group unveiled Spencer's largest hyper store in Kolkata on 2 February 2008.  This store is the 13 Spencer's hypermarket in India. The Rs 13,500crore RPG Group has almost 400 Spencer's outlets across 60 cities, including 20 in Kolkata. Spencer's stores have over 4 million footfalls every month.

Before the inauguration at the South City Mall, Sanjiv Goenka, vice chairman of the Group, said, "We are proud that the most modern Spencer's hyper store has been located in our home city, which is also the headquarters of Spencer's operations. The first Spencer's hypermarket in West Bengal, located at Durgapur, is doing extremely well." 

Located as an anchor store in South City Mall, 375 Prince Anwar Shah Road, Kolkata, the Spencer's hyper store has a trading area of 72,000 sq.ft displaying more than 70,000 items under one roof.

According to Goenka, "The new Spencer's hyper, our largest hyper store so far, rewrites all shopping rules with offerings that Kolkata citizens have so far not experienced." The hyper store has been designed by international retail design specialists and brand consultants to give it an international look. With a new slug line, 'Taste the world', the new Spencer outlet will have options ranging from food, fashion, home and entertainment, coming together.

To enhance the shopping experience new signage, wall colours, murals, graphics and visual merchandising have been incorporated. The overall store ambience and décor elements, lighting, fixtures and fittings are said to be internationally sourced. 

Spencer's hypers are city destination stores for monthly groceries, weekly fresh and top ups, fashion accessories, home care products, toys, stationery, electricals, electronics and garments.  In addition, there is also a bakery, a delicatessen, meat, poultry and fish, a café, wines and spirits, specialty and international foods and live kitchens. The 70,000 SKUs at the Spencer's Hyper comprise 35,000 items of daily use, 25,000 books, and an unparalleled collection of music and DVDs.

According to a Spencer's spokesperson, "At South City, the Spencer's Hyper store offers a 72,000 sq.ft trading area, where the customer has a choice of 3,500 food items, including imported, speciality, organic products etc.  For instance, there are nearly 40 items of imported cheese, a large choice of chocolates and Haagen Daaz ice-cream.  Also available are apparel for adults and kids, sportswear, fashion accessories, luggage, furniture, mobiles, electronics, electricals, home linen, kitchenware, glass / dinnerware, meat/fish with chicken from outside Bengal, cold cuts, as also live fish tanks, wines, a Flury's bakery / café, take away meals etc.

There is a special corner for diet and sugar-free products, as also a large range of breakfast cereals and organic food.  The speciality food corner will offer all the ingredients required to prepare Chinese, Thai, Japanese, American, Italian, Gujarati, South Indian and Bengali dishes. At live kitchens, well-known hotel chefs will teach customers latest recipes from different parts of India and the world. "

Spencer's began its operations in India way back in 1863. Spencer's already employ over 9000 employees across 60 cities. Roughly 1/3rd of the team are women.

India's first modern format hypermarket was opened by Spencer's in Hyderabad in January 2001.  Located over an area of 1,20,000 sq.ft., the store has a trading area of 36,000 sq.ft.  The Spencer's hypermarkets, located across the country, are open throughout the day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Currently, RPG's Retail activity comprises Spencer's Retail, RPG Cellucom, Books & Beyond and MusicWorld. Spencer's currently has a national consumer base of over 48 million people, who walk into the store every year.

Spencer's has four formats - Spencer's Express, Spencer's Daily, Spencer's Super and Spencer's Hyper.

Spencer's Express: Spencer's Express stores will be present in every neighbourhood at an arm's length for the convenience of its loyal customers. These 800-1200 sq.ft stores have groceries, fresh food, chilled and frozen products and bakery items. The central theme of the store is 'the store next door.'

Spencer's Daily: The Spencer's Daily stores are neighbourhood stores for groceries, fresh food and weekly top up shopping.  About 4,000-7,000 sqft. in size these stores have personalised service.

Spencer's Super: The Spencer's Superstore are locality store that shoppers visit for their monthly groceries and weekly top up of fresh requirements. These stores are around 8,000-15,000 sqft. in size and have more items than the Spencer's Daily stores. They also have a deli, fresh meat, chicken and fish products, a bakery and a café.

The Spencer's Hypermarkets are large in size, about 25,000 + sqft stores, in multiple localities.