Nadeem Jafri wanted to emulate Big Bazaar in Ahmedabad.

Hearty Mart; a local retail success

Nadeem built a supermart for the common people of Ahmedabad.

Brief:

• Nadeem Jafri is founder of Hearty Mart. He set up Juhupura’s first super market in Ahmedabad.
• Big Bazaar had inspired him. He had also thought of opening a restaurant or an advertising agency.

Why did he choose Juhupura?

• After Gujarat riots Juhupura attracted nearly 5 million refugees.
• As per the research of 588 households the average monthly expenditure on food-grocery, cosmetics and other fast moving consumer goods was nearly Rs 7,000.
• That would translate into a whopping Rs 45 lakh worth of business per month in Juhapura.
• He saw potential customers. Brands such as Reliance Fresh and Big Bazaar, had not ventured into restive Juhapura.

Hearty Mart today:

• It has more than 14 stores.
• It has also ventured into bakery business.
• It supplies whole sale grocery to 200 to 300 restaurants around Gujarat.
• It is training rural youth to set up organised retail.

Lessons for retailers of Delhi-NCR:

Jafri believes in ‘blue ocean strategy, which is about uncontested markets.

1. Gauge the right consumer demand.
2. Get the right inventory.
3. Employ fair practices amongst investors, partners and employees.
4. Create shop patrons and not just customers.
5. Private labels have the highest margins.
6. Invest in brand building.

Worth your time:

• Supermarkets for the villages
• Business of setting up a Hearty Mart in a village