Retail veteran Damodar Mall has earned the moniker SupermarketWala for his hugely successful book with the same title as well as his contribution to shaping the course of modern grocery retail in India working closely with pillars of Indian retail like Radhakrishna Damani, Kishore Biyani and now Mukesh Ambani.
However, for Mall, who is now the Chief Executive Officer of the grocery business of Reliance Retail Ltd. (RRL), becoming a grocery retailer was never part of his career plan."Selling 'daal-chawal' as a chosen vocation for the educated son was not my parent's idea of smart choices," he wrote in a blog on Forbes.
Finding His Calling
It happened as a result of his visit to Sao Paulo, Brazil during his stint at Hindustan Unilever, which he joined after completing his postgraduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore after a Bachelor of Technology degree from the coveted Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.
In Brazil, Mall saw successful modern retail in a developing market. Driven by the realisation that if it can happen in Brazil, it can happen in India, he returned with a project plan to start a modern supermarket in India. His project was for 'Annapurna Supermarkets' by HUL. When he did not get the required support from Unilever as it was not aligning with the FMCG behemoth's global business model, Mall decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge.
He found a backer in the legendary stock market investor Radhakrishna Damani, who shared his vision. Together, they roamed the streets studying the supermarkets of the time Apna Bazaar, Sahakari Bhandar and Raigad Bazaar-all run by cooperative societies.
Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Images Retail.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Images Retail.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Building the Midmanagement is Critical in a Scaling Organisation
Nirav Jagad, Chief People Officer of Sugar Cosmetics speaks about ensuring the right! opportunities for the right talent in a complex omnichannel organisation that is on a fast track to growth
Uppercase Upping the Ante
Travel gear brand Uppercase is upgrading the standard of luggage in India through innovative approach and prodcuts and sustainable practices
The Strategy is to Go City by City and Saturate Each
Gerard McGurk, Head of Retail and Commercial Operations at Index Living Mall and Mahesh M, CEO, Creaticity speak about Thailand's numero uno furniture brand's strengths, its India entry and strategy
Design and Experience Differentiate Indriya from Competitors
Sandeep Kohli, CEO of Aditya Birla Jewellery’s Indriya about the brand’s strengths, strategies and aspirations
At Good Glamm, AI Chatbots Have Slashed Workload by 70-80%
Deep Ganatra, Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO), The Good Glamm Group sheds light on the role of technology in the beauty and wellness industry and its impact on personalisation
How Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto and Others are Redefining Shopping
A quick snapshot of India’s quick commerce landscape highlighting key players, challenges and opportunities
Electronics and Q-commerce: A Marriage of Convenience
Why more and more electronics and gadget brands are taking to q-commerce
5 ways D2C Brands Can Leverage the Power of Technology
The direct-to-consumer (D2C) market in India is at an exciting juncture, with brands redefining how they operate, innovate, and engage with consumers. But what does the future look like for these brands as they adopt technology?
The Business of Offering Immersive Experiences
Shopping centers are using immersive experiences to attract more shoppers and boost business
5 ways D2C Brands Can Maintain the Growth Momentum
D2C brands should embrace a customer-first mindset, leverage technology, and know when to expand offline to keep the growth momentum going
