Wal-Mart stores may miss its brand name at front-end

NEW DELHI: World's largest retailer Wal-Mart may be upbeat over its grand foray into India despite political hurdles, but its high-profile brand name may take a miss at the front-end retail stores in the country.

According to sources close to the US firm, the hundreds of retail outlets that Wal-Mart plans to open in India in partnership with Bharti over the next five years might not carry the Wal-Mart name at all.

A Wal-Mart spokesperson in India said the front-end stores would be 100 per cent owned and operated by Bharti, while the US firm would focus on back-end operations like logistics and other supply chain management.

As for branding of the front-end stores, the spokesperson said it was for Bharti to decide.

When contacted, a Bharti official said the company was conducting consumer research and evaluating options at present and a decision regarding the brand name would be taken in due course of time.

However, sources indicated that the US major was open to the idea of giving the Wal-Mart brand a miss at the front-end store level, as it might further fuel the political opposition centered on concerns about a foreign company impacting the home-grown small retail stores.

Bharti group is likely to unveil the strategic roadmap for the business on Monday, while a high-profile team of the US giant, which could also include its CEO Michael T Duke, is also expected in India next week.