Reliance Fresh launches six stores in Indore

INDORE: Reliance Retail on Tuesday started operations in the central India with the launch of six pilot Reliance Fresh stores here.

Announcing the launch, the company's President and Chief Executive (Operations and Strategy) Raghu Pillai said the Mukesh Ambani-promoted firm will set up such stores in 70 cities across the country by the year-end.

"Within six months of launch, we have 151 Reliance Fresh stores across the country covering 419,000 sq ft of space."

Allaying fears of the farmers and vendors, Reliance Retail group Vice-President Farhan Ansari said: "In fact, now the farmers don't have to worry about the marketing of their produce."

The farmers will now have the opportunity to get the best price for their products at one place, Ansari said.

"Reliance Retail is building a business that would focus on competitive offerings to Indian consumers across several verticals in diverse geographies through multiple formats. This will be built on an integrated platform with a robust supply chain, logistics and information technology infrastructure," he said.

However, protesting the entry of Reliance into fresh vegetable and fruits market, the local vendors set afire an effigy of the company's Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani here.