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A SUMMER PROJECT REPORT ON

UNDERSTANDING THE DISTRIBUTION

CHANNEL OF THE RETAIL MARKET ANDCORPORATE WORLD

Submitted to:

MUMBAI EDUCATION TRUST

In Partial fulfilment of

EMPOWERED-MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Under the guidance of

Faculty Guide: RAJEEV GUPTE

Company Guide: MR.J.ASHOK

Submitted by: VAISHALI SHAH

Roll Number: 12151



INDEX

No TITLE PAGE NO.

1. TITLE 1

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 2

3. CERTIFICATE FROM THE COMPANY 4

4. NEED AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROJECT 7

5. INTRODUCTION 22

6. COMPANY BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION 35

7. DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS 37

8. PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES 54

9. PROBLEM FRAMING AND PROBLEM ANALYSIS 56

10. SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 58

11. ETHICAL,SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT OF THE PROJECT

61

12. MY LEARNINGS 8313. CONCLUSIONS 84

14. A PEEP INTO THE FUTURE 85

15. BIBLIOGRAPHY 90



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I thank the Almighty God for his grace towards the successful completion of my

project and I would like to express my gratitude towards all those who have

helped me throughout my project work.

Firstly, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my project guide Mr.

ASHOK J. For his inspiring guidance, generous help, encouragement, patience

and the valuable suggestions made throughout the course of this project. He

gave me the much needed liberty to carry out the project on my terms, as per

my convenience.

I would also like to thank him for all those „enthusiastic‟ words that he shared

with us.

I am grateful to Ms. Sylvia for sharing all her valuable experiences in the

industry working with SAHARA Q SHOP.

I would also like to thank Mr.Sanchi (HR) who gave me the opportunity to

work with SAHARA Q SHOP.

I am also grateful to all the other members in the office who maintained a

healthy relationship with me throughout the course of internship.

A big salute to the house-keeping staff that kept us refreshed with the hot

beverages and food whenever we ordered for them.

Last but not the least I convey a deep sense of gratitude to my parents for their

support and encouragement throughout the two months of internship.



NEED AND JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT

Objective of the project

Project primarily focused on to target retail market & corporate clients to sell

them packaged drinking water, mineral water products and Energy Drink.

Study of the distribution model – Route to market and go to market

strategy for beverage industry. Cost effective strategy for distribution.

How do we implement strategies to increase the market share of the product.

Project involved the following responsibilities:

a. Sales Focus Area was corporate offices / clients, retail shops

mainly in Mumbai

b. Lead generation for the products under display Sales group focus

area mainly western & central Mumbai.

c. Identify & analyse the clients‟ requirements by having interaction

with senior management and decision-makers in the client

organizations & retail shops.

d. Thoroughly mapping the accounts and thereby creating database

for future reference.

e. Managing free samples to attract the customers.

f. Assisting Sales team in moving sales cases from start to closure.



g. Marketing objectives are quantitative translations of the company's

financial objectives, in marketing terms. For example:

1) sales dollars

2) sales units

3) market share

4) distribution levels/channel

5) advertising awareness

6) key account distribution

The sales and marketing plan outlines each specific marketing event or action

plan to increase sales. For example, it may contain a summary of quarterly

promotion and advertising plans, with spending, timing, and share or shipment

goals for each program. Sales and marketing plans should be a logical

outgrowth of short- and long-term company objectives and your marketing

strategy. In the business plan, the sales and marketing plans provide an outline

of each marketing event for the year, covering the following information:

description of each event vehicle (e.g., media, promotion, trade, sales)

timing of each event

event goals and objectives (e.g., volume, share gains)

cost of each event



At the initial stage company is promoting its Water Products.

Sahara Q water is one of their many attempts at making India adulteration free

and fulfilling their vision of a healthy nation. Company believe everybody has a

right to pure, unadulterated nutrients and this fight for good needs to begin with

the most basic element of water.

SAHARA Q SHOP has launched

NATURAL MINARAL WATER

PACKAGED DRINKING WATER

ENERGY DRINK

Sahara Q Shop‟s motto is

Q= QUALITY=PURITY=OUR MISSION.



INTRODUCTION

HISTORY OF BOTTLED WATER IN INDIA

Bottled water market has emerged as one of the most rapidly growing andcompetitive markets worldwide. The global Bottled Water Industry is amultibillion dollar industry. It has been a remarkable growth trajectory for thesector.

India is among the top ten countries in terms of bottled water consumption.Today Bottled Water is one of the India‟s fastest growing industrial sectors.

Trends in the Industry

Mushrooming Bulk Segment New Entrants Flavoured Water Rising Investments & JV‟s

On the back of rising health awareness among citizens and inability of the

Indian government to provide safe drinking water, bottled water industry has

flourished during the past decade. Evolving perception of bottled water has

made its consumption a bare necessity especially in the water scarce areas of thenation. And these factors will bring the next wave of growth in the sector.

Along with these, rising disposable income, growing organized retail, rising

awareness among the consumer segment and growing focus on product

extension and quality will further stimulate the gains for the industry. Rising

urban drift in the country will also be a wheel of growth for the industry. We

have estimated the industry to grow at a CAGR of 18% till 2017 and would be

soaring to new heights. Indian Bottled Water Industry currently pegged at USD1454 million in 2011 will jump to reach USD 3925 million by 2017.

Mineral bottled water in India under the name 'Bisleri' was first introduced inMumbai by Bisleri Ltd., a company of Italian origin in 1965. Mineral bottledwater were in glass bottles in two varieties - bubbly and still in 1965 Thiscompany was started by Signor Felice who first brought the idea of selling

bottled water in India.



Parle bought over Bisleri (India) Ltd. In 1969 and started bottling Mineralwater in glass bottles under the brand name 'Bisleri'. Later Parle switchedover to PVC non- returnable bottles and finally advanced to PET containers.Since 1995 Mr.Ramesh J. Chauhan has started expanding Bisleri operations

substantially and the turn over has multiplied more than 20 times over a period of 10 years and the average growth rate has been around 40% overthis period. Presently it have 8 plants and 11 franchisees all over India.Bisleri command a 60% market share of the organized market.

Currently, Bailey has a national presence in 5 lakh retail outlets across thecountry. “We plan to increase manufacturing plants for Bailey from 29 to

60, presently 40 plants are operational and few more will be ready foroperations over the next few months,” informed Nadia Chauhan, joint

managing director of Parle Agro.

Variety of packages

Bottled water is sold in a variety of packages: pouches and glasses, 330 ml bottles, 500 ml bottles, one- litre bottles and even 20- to 50-litre bulk water packs. The formal bottled water business in India can be divided broadly intothree segments in terms of cost: premium natural mineral water, naturalmineral water and packaged drinking water.

Premium natural mineral water includes brands such as Evian, SanPelligrino and Perrier, which are imported and priced between Rs.80 and

Rs.110 a litre. Natural mineral water, with brands such as Himalayan andCatch, is priced around Rs.20 a litre. Packaged drinking water, which isnothing but treated water, is the biggest segment and includes brands such asParle, Bisleri, Coca-Cola's Kinley and PepsiCo's Aquafina. They are pricedin the range of Rs.10-12 a litre. The FDA also classifies some bottled wateraccording to its origin.Artesian well water Water from a well that taps an aquifer--layers of

porous rock, sand and earth that contain water--which is under pressure fromsurrounding upper layers of rock or clay.

Mineral water. Water from an underground source that contains at least250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals and trace elementsmust come from the source of the underground water. They cannot be addedlater.Spring water Derived from an underground formation from which water

flows naturally to the earth's surface. Spring water must be collected only atthe spring or through a borehole tapping the underground formation feedingthe spring. If some external force is used to collect the water through a

borehole, thewater must have

the same composition and quality as the water that naturally flows to the



surface.

Well water. Water from a hole bored or drilled into the ground, which tapsinto an aquifer.

Tap Water Some bottled water also comes from municipal sources--inother words--the tap. Municipal water is usually treated before it is bottled.

Daab water in bottles: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee's focus on smallinvestors will soon see packaged coconut water in local stores in 2013. Thestate food processing department is currently studying a state-of-the-arttechnique for packaging bottles of daab water. It will collaborate with theIndian Institute of Packaging to sell coconut water and highlight that factthat one portion of coconut water is equivalent to three portions of water.

Why Bottled water?

Millions of people, both in rural and urban India, suffer from inadequate orno tap water supply. Even some parts of Mumbai, the country's financialcapital, get a mere two hours of daily water supply. The city's Virar suburbgets 45 minutes. So bottled water is much in demand by residents - eventhough the businesses profiting from the sales are thriving from access to

public water sources.Bottled water fills a void created by government failure to address basic

services, Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute writes in its World Water

report. "In many parts of the world, tap water is not available or safe todrink," writes . "In these regions, the failure of governments to provide basicwater services has opened the door to private companies and vendors fillinga critical need, albeit at a very high cost to consumers." The institute reasonsthat governments should tap into spending on commercial water byconsumers to secure funds to provide safe water at fraction of the cost.

Bottled water has been treated by distillation, reverse osmosis, or othersuitable process and that meets the definition of "purified water".

Bottled Water: How Safe?

The bottled water industry has spent billions over the past decade to sell youon the idea that bottled water is better than tap water. Well the short answer isthey are both unhealthy. One of the most ironic parts of the bottled watertragedy is that the water bottling industry gets the water free, filters it, bottles itand sells it back to us at 1,900% profit. The ironic part is that tap water islegislated to be 7.0 pH neutral. They first dump a TON of cholrine in the waterto kill off all the bad bacteria, this makes it highly acidic.

In India around 100 companies sell an estimated 424 million litres of bottledwater valued at around Rs 200 crore in the country annually. Most bottlers



claim that their water is 100 per cent bacteria-free, safe, tastier and healthier.But is the water in these bottles really safe to drink? Do they conform tointernational or national standards?

Traditional Indian methods of cooling and purifying water

Now people of India turning their backs on the country's ancient methods ofcooling and purifying water. Stored in earthen pots, for instance, it is not onlyrefreshingly cool and tasty but is said to become bacteria-free. Yet the commonsummer sight of water matkas (earthen pots) in public offices and spaces isgiving way to upturned plastic drums dispensing packaged water.Rainwater is safe, doesn’t bring about adverse effects. For centuries people have thought rainwater as unsafe, but contrary to their

beliefs, as per an Australian study, drinking of untreated rainwater is safe forhuman health. The study was conducted under the auspices of eminentresearchers from Melbourne‟s Monash University. The entire team took a look

at 300 homes that used rainwater collected in water tanks as their primarydrinking source.This endeavor has been described as a world first study thatcomes in the midst of growing criticism of bottled water.

Consistent quality and taste are two of the principal differences between bottled water and tap water. While bottled water originates from protected

sources - largely from underground aquifers and springs - tap water comesmostly from rivers and lakes.

Another factor to consider is the distance tap water must travel and what it goesthrough before it reaches the tap. In compliance with international regulations,

bottled water is sealed and packaged in sanitary containers. If a bottled water product is found to be substandard, it can be recalled. This can‟t happen in case of tap water.Water is the most essential element to human life; the body usually cannot

survive longer than several days without water .Water is essential to thefunctioning of every single cell and organ system in the human body. Watermakes up greater than 2/3 of the weight of the human body; the brain is 75%water, blood is 83% water, bones are 22% water, muscles are 75% water, andthe lungs are 90% water. Water is essential for the efficient elimination of waste

products through the kidneys. Water regulates body temperature (through perspiration). Water helps the body to absorb nutrients in the intestines. Water plays a role in regulating metabolism. Water forms the base for saliva(necessary for consuming and digesting food). Water carries nutrients and

oxygen to all cells in the body and facilitates all of the chemical processeswhich occur in the body. Water plays a role in the prevention of disease.



Drinking adequate amounts of water can reduce the risk of colon and bladdercancer significantly, and some studies have suggested that water may alsodecrease the risk of breast cancer. So, SAHARA Q SHOP came to know howimportant water to humans & they came up with SAHARA Q WATER in the

market to reduce the thrust of the human body. In few months only SAHARA QWATER has captured huge market of water products. People are aware aboutSAHARA Q WATER and its popularity is increasing day by day.A few decades ago, there were only a small number of choices for bottled water,

but consumers today find more than 3,000 brands in the marketplace. And allare doing good business because all of them have targeted the survival .

ILL EFFECTS OF DRINKING UNTREATED WATER

Typhoid Bone deformation

Joint pain

Hardening of arteries and muscles

Diarrhoea and Dysentry

Excess content of fluoride can lead to flourisis

Arsenic Poisoning

Cholera

Hepatitis

COMMONLY FOUND WATER CONTAMINATION

SOURCES

Contaminated storage Tanks

Cross contamination at sources

Leaks in distribution network

Improper functioning of Purifiers

Domestic Waste

Borewell or contaminated ground water

Organic matters

Industrial waste



SAHARA Q – PACKAGED DRINKING WATER

Q packaged drinking water is aimed at providing pure and safe drinking waterto the valuable consumers, which will contribute towards eliminating theinvisible spread of diseases and illness that are caused by the consumption ofcontaminated water.Water composes approximately 70% of the human body by mass and is acrucial component of metabolic processes and serves as a solvent for many

bodily solutes. Bottled water is sold for public consumption throughout theworld. Sahara Q packaged drinking water is processed through state of the artwater plant and aseptic filling technologies. Sahara Q shop ensures pure and

safe drinking water with no risk of any harm to the human body instead willrejuvenate and rehydrate your body systems with a refreshing feel.

Sahara Q Packaged Drinking Water is aimed at providing a clean and safedrinking water to the consumers, which will contribute towards eliminating theinvisible spread of disease and illness that occurs through the consumption ofcontaminated water. The enterprise in water chemistry and the latest technologyto build state-of-art water plant and aseptic filling technologies, the end result isquality product named Sahara Q Packaged Drinking Water.



The Water is derived from a natural source which then goes through series offiltration processes, followed by UV and Ozone treatment and final packaging,global standards are followed to ensure purity,quality, superiority. The endresult is a crystal clear water that is pure and safe for drinking. This is

hygienically packaged into top quality tempered proof PET bottle of varioussizes for assurance and convenience.The plants are equipped with right toolsand techniques, so goals are achieved and perfection attained.

PRICING OF PACKAGED DRINKING WATER

Packaged Drinking Water (1000 ML)

Net Unit : 1000 ml

RS 18

http://www.saharaqshop.com/shop/Packaged-Drinking-Water-1000-ML/pr-291_c-748/






/shop/faces/tiles/

Packaged Drinking Water - Bottle (250 ML)

Net Unit : 250 ml

RS 6

Packaged Drinking Water - Bottle (500 ML)

Net Unit : 500 ml

RS 10

http://www.saharaqshop.com/shop/Packaged-Drinking-Water---Bottle-250-ML/pr-286_c-748/












SAHARA Q GOES GREEN NATURALLY-NATURAL

MINERAL WATER

-Water the nature meant it to be

Source : Melting snow on Himalayan peaks release nature‟s essence,water. As it flows down it enriches itself with natural minerals and accumulates underthe folds of Shivalik Range. Sourced from the pristine valleys of Shivaliks inthe Himalayan foothills ,Q Natural Mineral Water comes to you as nature‟s gift.

The rich mineral content imparts a fine taste to water, which is naturallymaintained by the various mineral deposits in the mountains. The water istapped more than 300ft below the surface and bottled at source untouched. Avery low nitrate content points to its virgin origin indicating freedom fromcontaminants, natural or man-made. Every drop of Q Natural Mineral waterconnects life with nature.Many sources have hazardous chemicals and toxic wastes from industrialdevelopments in the vicinity of the source. The presence of such toxins in thesource of the Natural Mineral Water is evaluated by the presence of Nitrate inthe Water and the Bureau Indian Standards (BIS) allows upto 7mg per 1000mlfor human consumption. Sahara Q Natural Mineral Water has only 1.2 mgnitrate content per 1000ml water .which points to its virgin origin indicatingfreedom from contaminants ,natural or man-made.



The nutrients present in the Sahara Q mineral drinking water are as follows:

Calcium 53

Magnesium 11

Sodium 15 Nitrate 1.2

Chloride 13

Ph Factor 7.5 mg/litre

TDS 295-315 mg/litre

PRICING OF NATURAL MINERAL WATER

Natural Mineral Water - Bottle (1000 ML)

Net Unit : 1000 ml

RS 50

/shop/faces/tiles/

http://www.saharaqshop.com/shop/Natural-Mineral-Water---Bottle-1000-ML/pr-285_c-749/






Natural Water - Bottle (500 ML)

Net Unit : 500 ml

RS 30

ENERGY DRINK MARKET IN INDIA

Long and erratic working hours and the increasing occurrence of socialgatherings are driving Indian consumerstowards the consumption of energy drinks which are primarily classified as non-alcoholic,caffeinated beverages and sports drinks. The popularity of energydrinks in India is not merely due to its functional aspect as perceived in other

countries.Over the past few years, the sales of energy drinks have been driven bychanging consumer lifestyle and increasing demand for alcohol mixers.Their association with high octane sports such as the Indian Grand Prix andwith eating out has further boosted sales and increased consumer awareness.

The Indian energy drinks market is currently estimated at ~USD 154.5millionand is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28-30%. This growth was mainlydriven by an extraordinary performance by Red Bull,which has been the most

dominant player in the caffeinated energy drink segment,and Gatorade,which isthe leader in the sports drink segment.In order to offset the increasing rawmaterial price, fluctuation in foreignexchange rates and rise in electricitycosts,the current unit prices have increased for energy drinks. Energy drinks accountfor14-15% of the non-alcoholic beverage segment and compete with other non-alcoholic beverages such as soda and brewed coffee,both of which containcaffeine for energy boost,even ifthe caffeine content is relatively lowerthan inenergy drinks. Soda is the most consumed non-alcoholic beverage while ready-to-drink tea also offers stiff competition as it provides the benefits of anti-

oxidants in addition to a boost of caffeine.Unlike the US and the UKmarkets,energy shots are currently unavailable in theIndian market and

http://www.saharaqshop.com/shop/Natural-Water---Bottle-500-ML/pr-284_c-749/






could serve as a potential business opportunity to expand the consumer base forthe energy drinks players.

Q NRG DRINKS

NRG Drinks are same like REDBULL. It‟s an energy drink which gives energy

and protein to the body. It keeps body healthy and energetic.SAHARA Q SHOP sells NRG drink at the same price equal to REDBULL inRs.95. So REDBULL is the touch competitor for SAHARA NRG drinks.Mostly SAHARA NRG drink is useful into the pubs, hotels and restaurants.



/shop/faces/tiles/

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE

As a human being goes through different life cycles,same way products alsogoes through different life cycles. The cycle has four stagesnamely,introduction,growth,maturity,decline.

Introduction- this is the first stage of the life cycle. Here the product isintroduced in the market. The customers start getting aware of the product. In

the introduction stage aggressive advertising and promotions is done. This is avery important stage because if one does not promote the producteffectively,there is a chance that it can be immediately be wiped out from themarket. Therefore, every company has to ensure that the product is properlyintroduced in the market.

Growth- As the product is advertised and the consumers are aware about the products, the sales start picking up. Due to awareness and effective promotions,the consumer is now willing to experiment the product. Here the sales show a

positive curve and the product starts to make a place in the market.



Maturity- this is a stage where the Sales of the product is at its Peak. This is atime when the company earns the maximum revenue. In this stage,the product isaccepted by the consumers. The consumers are also liking the product. This isthe result of all the marketing efforts made in the first two stages. The maturity

stage is very crucial as it gives signal to the company that there is high need ofeffective strategies and innovations to be used for promotions. Here slightchanges and innovations in the product can also occur. If efforts are not made atthis stage then the product will go to the decline stage.

Decline- this stage is the last stage in the product life cycle. Here, the customeris bored with the product and the sales are going down. This may be due tovarious internal and external factors. There may be many competitor‟s in the

market who have used excellent strategies for product promotion or there may be new entrants in the market who are offering better than us. By usinginnovative strategies, it is possible to help the product grow in the market.

Sahara’s Packaged Drinking Water

As the product is newly introduced in the market it is in its initial phase that isthe introduction stage. Here the product is introduced in retailoutlets,restaurants,fine dines,hotels and corporates. Through Promotions,awareness is created in these places. Various promotional tools are used tocreate awareness. Posters, Brochures,Danglers,Display has been done to make

the product visible in the market. As this is the introduction stage,special offershas been given. Schemes have been introduced in retail outlets. Special offersare made on bulk purchases. Orders are collected from the retailers. The Salesteam is going to different locations and routes to make people aware about the

product.

The company wants to enter into the growth stage for which various strategiesare used. Everyday efforts are being made to visit maximum outlets and createawareness for the products. Potential outlets are found out. Observations about

the outlets have been done. Efforts have been made to make contract with retailoutlets, hotels,companies. Due to this the product will not only be placed in themarket but also there will be growth in the sales.

Sahara’s NRG Drink

This was launched few days after the launch of packaged drinking water. In thiscase, strategy of Product placement is used. The promotions is done throughgiving special offers for selling. Free Samples are given to the retailers so thatthey will keep the products on display. The retailer can also use the can for

sampling. Other promotional efforts are still in the process.



NRG drink will be promoted as a youth based product nad the tie ups wouldtake place. There will be tie ups with institutes,restaurants,fine dines,etc.

INITIAL PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY

1. BISLERI

Bisleri has captured the whole water products market. It is the tough competitor

for all other water brands in the market. It‟s a big brand and most trusted. Their

promotional strategies are amazing. They have their own distributors in the

market which makes their service easier. All retail shops ordered Bisleri water

only to sell. And when customers come to buy water to any shopkeeper he

always asks for bisleri bottle only. So people are aware about bisleri as a water

brand with quality. So they do not look for other product.

2. AQUAFINA

This is another trusted and quality brand known in the hotel industry. Aquafina

is also a tough competitor for other water products. Its packaging, pricing,

quality is best that‟s why hotel industry always go for Aquafina brand only.

LOCAL PLAYERS

There are many local players existing in the water market and they are playing

king size role. So sometimes it becomes very difficult to compete them and the



reason is they sell their products in the lower cost. So buyers easily move

towards them.

COMPANY BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION

Sahara India Pariwar is an Indian conglomerate company headquartered

in Lucknow, India. Its diversified business has interest in finance, infrastructure

& housing, media & entertainment, consumer merchandise retail venture,

manufacturing and information technology. The company has a market

capitalisation of US$25.94 billion as of March 2011. The group is a major

promoter of sports in India.. Sahara is the main sponsor of the Indian cricket

Team. They own 42.5% stake in Formula One's Force India Formula 1

Team and also sponsors India national field hockey team. The Brand Trust

Report listed Sahara in the top 100 most trusted brands of India. The report was

published by Trust Research Advisory.

Subrata Roy Sahara

Subrata Roy Sahara

He is named among the 10 Most Powerful People of India by India Today. Hisresidence is in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Subrata Roy Sahara founded

Sahara India Pariwar in 1978.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Subrata_Roy_Sahara.jpg



COMPANY PROFILE-SAHARA Q SHOP

On 13 August 2012, Sahara India announced the opening of their retail FMCG

business named 'Q shop' (Quality shop) with an initial investment of Rs. 3000

crore. Sahara also announced the hire of 600,000 sales personnel and 3000

customer care executives. At its launch, Subrata Roy said that Sahara had been

planning for this venture for the last two years and was opening 'Q shops' in

major cities across the country to provide adulteration-free consumer

merchandise including processed food and beverages to buyers. The group said

it would set up 305 warehouses in 285 cities in a phased manner.

Sahara Q shop is a mega quality consumer merchandise retail business from

Sahara India Pariwar. Its aim is to provide pure, adulteration free and 100%

quality products to the country. The products will be offered at the most

competitive prices and in convenience of home delivery to its esteemed

customers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Moving_Consumer_Goods





Sahara India has announced its foray into the retail industry in India with Sahara

„Q Shops‟, where Q stands for quality. Initially, the company plans to start more

than 800 shops across 5 states, selling food items, home and personal care

products, processed foods and beverages. Chairman Subrata Roy said "This will

be a bigger business than our real estate business and it will be among our top

three businesses in the years to come", reported ET.

Sahara India‟s venture into retail is a unique business model via a Rs. 3,000

crore investment, the company plans to push out its own „home brand‟ products.

The company will tie up exclusively manufacturers to deliver its own range of

products to its customers. The products sold at Q Shops will be „..adulteration-

free 100% Quality Consumer Merchandise..‟ and will have ‟100% right

weight/quantity‟, claims the company‟s website.

http://www.sahara.in/qshop.html




http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/retailing/sahara-india-to-pump-rs-3000-crore-in-its-retail-venture/articleshow/15479881.cms








At present, Q Shops will be launched only in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan

and Uttarakhand. By end of this year, Sahara India plans to expand to West

Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, Haryana, New Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh.

By February 2012, Q Shops will make their presence felt in almost all the

country‟s regions including Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP and other southern states.

To shop at Q Shop, customers will need to become members. The company

plans to develop a strong membership by tapping its significantly large existing

customer base. Subrata Roy said "Our one million workers regularly visit 6.5

crore depositors and it would be easy for them to enter those houses and sell

our other products".

Once people become members, they can buy products directly from retail

outlets or through their home delivery system. Customers can simply place

orders at designated call centres and avail home delivery. It is reported that the

backend of the initial phase will consist of more than 300 warehouses which

will work as distribution centres to supply products to Q Shops, and to

customers who call for home delivery.

The concept of home brands and in-house products has been adopted since

decades in the western retail markets. Taking advantage of thousands of

customer walk-ins every day, supermarkets in the west are known to shelve

their own home brand products alongside those of other brands.



For example, Australia‟s largest supermarket chain Woolworths stocks its own

product range of everyday household products branded as „Home brand„. From

food and processed food products like milk to commonly used household

products like dishwashing liquids, they have their in-house products for just

about everything. Taking advantage of bulk volumes among many other factors,

the chain can supply its products at prices a tad lower than other products,

whose price tags may include the cost of branding.

In Q Shop‟s case, Industry experts are seem to believe that Roy‟s revenue

targets of Rs. 20,000 crore in the first 18 months and Rs. 45,000 crore in a span

of 2-3 years will be very challenging to achieve. There seems to be a general

consensus among commentators that the efficiency of Sahara India‟s supply

chain will be critical in shaping the growth of its retail venture.

Additionally and unlike other supermarkets where consumers will have a choice

of buying from many brands, it appears that Q Shop customers will only have

access to the company‟s own product line.

It will be interesting to see how, despite the lack of choice, Sahara India

manages to lure consumers to its aisles. Without a doubt, pricing is expected to

play a definitive role among other factors like customer service, product QC and

overall shopping experience.



LATEST UPDATE

Sahara Q Shop, the quality consumer merchandise retail venture of Sahara IndiaPariwar, has entered the coveted record books of GUINNESS WORLDRECORDS by opening a record number of retail outlets across the country, atone time. Sahara Q Shop, on 1st April, 2013 at 4:00 p.m, simultaneously opened315 Sahara Q Shop stores in 10 States across India. The opening of outlets wasmonitored by officials from GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS to verify andregister the new world record set by Sahara Q Shop.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS presented the official certificate to'Saharasri' Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing Worker & Chairman, Sahara

India Pariwar, officially registering the name of Sahara Q Shop in the prestigious world record books.

Sahara Q Shop stores opened under franchisees as well as company ownedformats, having sizes of 300 sq. ft, 400 sq. ft and 500 sq. ft area. The stores will

provide 100% unadulterated, quality consumer merchandise products to thecitizens of India at the right prices of food (staples and processed food) non

food (personal care and home care), General Merchandise, Consumer Durablesand Lifestyle products.

Sahara Q Shop has 550 operational stores. By end of this financial year (April2013 to 31st March 2014) this count will reach 10,000 stores across India

Speaking on the occasion, 'Saharasri' Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing

Worker & Chairman, Sahara India Pariwar, said, "It's a moment of great pleasure for me to present 315 more stores to the people of our beloved nation.The outlets are one more initiative to curb the menace of adulteration in the

market and provide the society with 100% unadulterated, quality consumermerchandise products at fair market prices. I would also like to thank the team



of GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS for appreciating our effort by accepting itas a new record."

Mr. Nikhil Shukla, India representative and adjudicator, GUINNESS

WORLD RECORDS, said, "We certify the new record made by Sahara QShop of most stores launched simultaneously. Most stores launchedsimultaneously means that all these stores had to be launched at the same time,and Sahara Q Shop achieved this by launching these 315 stores at 4:00 pm IST.We congratulate Sahara for this achievement and wish them all the very best forthe future."

Mr. Romie Dutt - Executive Director, Sahara Q Shop said "In a short spanof almost 8 months from our launch, the consumers have appreciated our

products for quality and purity and we are rapidly expanding our distribution

network to provide our quality consumer merchandise to the entire country."

Sahara Q shop is a mega quality consumer merchandise retail business fromSahara India Pariwar. Its main aim is to provide pure, adulteration – free and100% quality products to the country. The products will be offered at the mostcompetitive prices and in right quantities. In addition Sahara Q shop will also

provide benefit and convenience of home delivery to its esteemed customers.Sahara Q Shop unbeatable advantages:

100% commitment to QUALITY Most competitive prices

Right weight or quantity

100% disclosure policy across all products

Convenience of phone shopping

State of art QUALITY CONTROL LABS in

Delhi,Mumbai,Lucknow,Nagpur,Hyderabad,Kolkata and

Patna.

Pan India quality team of 800 people comprising quality experts andassociates ,quality control executives,quality assurance managers and

quality advisors .

305 warehouses in 285 cities.



LOGISTICS

SUPPLY CHAIN

Sahara Q Shop supply chain is a mega effort by Sahara group by which peopleof India would get high quality products of their daily needs at their doorstep,even in small cities. The whole distribution process in Q Shop strives tooptimise the entire supply chain process to ensure timely delivery to thecustomer at minimum cost. Q Shop supply chain covers everything from

product development, inventory planning, sourcing, production, logistics,warehousing and delivery at customers' end.

WAREHOUSE

Q Shop provides unadulterated food and non-food products of daily use. Ourwarehouses are built keeping in mind the requirement of appropriate sunlightand proper air ventilation for better product care. Our warehouses arestrategically located in an area of 50-60 kilometers from our customers.

Our 305 Q Shop warehouses are well connected with national and statehighways, will cover pan-India customers and are capable of keeping stocks to

serve their customers in minimum delivery lead time at the customer's house.



TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

To make sure that the product that reaches the consumer is always of higheststandard and also meets international standards, Sahara Q has always beeninvolved in improving its product packaging. One such recent developmentis the tamper proof break away seal. Sahara Q also recognises the need to

produce environment friendly products and is working on the PET project.

THE BREAKAWAY SEAL

Keeping in mind the consumer's need to recognise a genuine product that cannot

be tampered with, Sahara Q developed the break away seal. The unique cap has been patented and cannot be duplicated or tampered with. This technologydevelopment in the product ensures that the consumer will only get a highlysafe product when they consume SaharaQ packaged drinking water.

PRODUCT PACKAGING

To ensure purity of the bottled water, the bottles that are used are blown andfilled at the factory itself, to avoid contamination.

PURIFICATION PROCESS

At Sahara Q plants, water undergoes multi - stage purification process to ensure proper blend of minerals and complete removal of microorganisms and toxicsubstances. So a habit of drinking PURE and SAFE Sahara Q will ensure ahealthy life

What advantages Sahara Q purification process has over purificationdone by other methods Traditional process of boiling water for purification hasits limitations. lt is time consuming. For boiling, water has to be heated to 100deg. Celsius. Also, to kill microbes water should be boiled continuously for aminimum of 20 minutes. Boiling may kill the microbes but can not removeother physical impurities and toxic substances.

Many home appliances are available in market for water purification. Thesegadgets use either filtration technique or Ultra Violet rays or a combinationof the two techniques. These techniques do not guarantee 100 % purity of

water.



Filtration removes only the visible suspended particles and not the minute ,invisible particles,toxic substances or microorganisms. The filters are cleanedrarely and all the muck accumulates inside leading to more contamination.Ideally such filters need to be cleaned every day which is cumbersome. Ultra

Violate rays kill the microbes but cannot ensure removal of toxic substances and physical impurities.These purification equipment are incomplete and need continuous monitoringand maintenance. At SAHARA Q , through our multi - stage purification

process we ensure removal of toxic substances as well as physical andmicrobiological impurities. In our state-of-the-art processing plants we followrigorous Good Manufacturing Practices and strict Quality Assurance norms soeach and every bottle of SAHARA Q is made tasty, pure and safe for theconsumer.

PROTECT YOUR HEALTH WITH SAHARA WHICH USES

7 STAGES OF PURIFICATION AS FOLLOWS:

Chlorination

Sand Filtration

Carbon Filtration

Micro Filtration

ReverseOsmosis

Ozonation

U V Treatment



1. CHLORINATION : Kills micro organisms. Remove organic matter.Water chlorination is the process of adding the

element chlorine to water as a method of water purification to make it fitfor human consumption as drinking water. Water that has been treatedwith chlorine is effective in preventing the spread of waterborne disease.

2. SAND FI LTRATION : Sand filters are used for water purification. There are three main types;

rapid (gravity) sand filters

upflow sand filters

slow sand filters

All three methods are used extensively in the water industry throughoutthe world. The first two require the use of flocculant chemicals to workeffectively while slow sand filters can produce very high quality waterfree from pathogens, taste and odour without the need for chemical aids.

3. CARBON F I LTRATION :

Carbon filtering is a method of filtering that uses a bed of activatedcarbon to remove contaminants and impurities, usingchemical adsorption.

Each particle/granule of carbon provides a large surface area/porestructure, allowing contaminants the maximum possible exposure to theactive sites within the filter media. One pound (450 g) of activated carboncontains a surface area of approximately 100 acres (40 Hectares).

Activated carbon works via a process called adsorption, whereby pollutant molecules in the fluid to be treated are trapped inside the porestructure of the carbon substrate. Carbon filtering is commonly usedfor water purification, Carbon filters are most effective atremoving chlorine, sediment, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), taste

and odor from water. They are not effective at removing minerals, salts, and dissolved inorganic compounds.

4. MICRO FI LTRATION : Additional safety measures of filtration.

Microfiltration is a membrane technical filtration process whichremoves contaminants from a fluid (liquid & gas) by passage through amicroporous membrane.. Microfiltration can use a pressurized system butit does not need to include pressure Microfiltration is the process offiltration with a micrometre sized filter. The filters can be in a submergedconfiguration or a pressure vessel configuration. These filtersare porous and allow water, monovalent species (Na+, Cl-), dissolved

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purification

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purification

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_sand_filter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_sand_filter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_industry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flocculation#Flocculants

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_carbon


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adsorption



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sediment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compounds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minerals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membrane_technology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filtration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contaminant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semipermeable_membrane

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porous


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contaminant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filtration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membrane_technology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minerals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compounds








http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flocculation#Flocculants

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_industry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_sand_filter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_sand_filter


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purification

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine



organic matter, small colloids and viruses through but do notallow particles, sediment, algae or large bacteria through

5. REVERSE OSMOSIS : Removes organic material. Reverse

osmosis (RO) is a water purification technology that uses a semipermeable

membrane. not properly. In RO, an applied pressure is used toovercome osmotic pressure, a colligative property, that is driven by chemical

potential, a thermodynamic parameter. RO can remove many typesof molecules and ions from solutions and is used in both industrial processesand in producing potable water. The result is that the solute is retained on the

pressurized side of the membrane and the pure solvent is allowed to pass to theother side. Controls total dissolved solids in the water. Around the world,household drinking water purification systems, including a reverse osmosisstep, are commonly used for improving water for drinking and cooking.

Such systems typically include a number of steps:

a sediment filter to trap particles, including rust and calcium carbonate

optionally, a second sediment filter with smaller pores

an activated carbon filter to trap organic chemicals and chlorine, which willattack and degrade TFC reverse osmosis membranes

a reverse osmosis (RO) filter, which is a thin film compositemembrane (TFM or TFC)

optionally, a second carbon filter to capture those chemicals not removed bythe RO membrane

optionally an ultra-violet lamp for sterilizing any microbes that may escapefiltering by the reverse osmosis membrane.

This stage of reserve osmosis system controls all the dissolvessolidparticles and it converts hard water into soft water.

6. OZONATION : The ozone treatment increases the shelf life of water. Toensure mineral water is held safe free from contamination, ultraviolet treatmentand ozonisation process is carried out. Ozone is unstable trivalent oxygen, avery powerful bactericide with no side effect, as it disintegrates into oxygenwithin couple of hours. Sterilization effect of ozonised water continues evenafter water is packaged, thereby ensuring safety of Mineral Water up to its final

packing. To ensure high quality of packing materials, components like caps and bottles are manufactured in-house from resins of quality suppliers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viruses

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particles


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmotic_pressure

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colligative_property

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_film_composite_membrane


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colligative_property

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmotic_pressure



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viruses

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloid



7. UV TREATMENT : Another method which is gaining popularity is UVdisinfection. UV treatment leaves no residue in the water due to use of lightinstead of chemical disinfectants.

(UV) light induces the formation of covalent linkages on DNA and thereby prevents microbes from reproducing. Without reproduction, the microbes become far less dangerous. Germicidal UV-C light in the short wavelengthrange of 100 – 280 nm acts on thymine, one of the four base nucleotides in DNA.When a germicidal UV photon is absorbed by a thymine molecule that isadjacent to another thymine within the DNA strand, a covalent

bond or dimer between the molecules is created. This thymine dimer prevents enzymes from "reading" the DNA and copying it, thus neutering themicrobe. Still, there are limits to this technology. Water turbidity (i.e., the

amount of suspended & colloidal solids contained in the water to be treated)must be low, such that the water is clear, for UV purification to work well - thusa pre-filter step might be necessary.

Water treated with UV still has the microbes present in the water, only withtheir means for reproduction turned "off". UV-treated water must therefore not

be exposed to visible light for any significant period of time after UV treatment, before consumption, to avoid ingesting reactivated and dangerous microbes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet#Disinfecting_drinking_water


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleotide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covalent_bond


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimer_(chemistry)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimer_(chemistry)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleotide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA





DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS

RESEARCH DESIGNA research design is purely and simply the framework or plan for a study thatguides the collection and analysis of data. The Survey Research was used inthis project, because Retailer‟s and consumers feedback was necessary for

obtaining the data. Starting a research project needs a basic preparationregarding the issues related to the topic selected. For this one needs to dosome deskwork. Deskwork includes:

1. Determining the basic objectives of the study undertaken.2. Collection of secondary data related to the topic from Internet, magazines &newspapers.3. Study the market, which one wants to cover.4. Analyze the objective on the basis of information collected by secondarydata.5. All the above activities at the initial stage of the project must be completed &then the main part follows.

DATA SOURCESa) Primary data: These are those data which are collected afresh and for thefirst time, and thus happen to be original in character. I will be using thestructured questioners.

b) Secondary data: These are those which have already been collected bysomeone else and which have already been passed through the statistical

process. I will collect it from the sources like internet, published data etc.

POPULATION OF THE STUDY

People from Mumbai region will be included in the population.

SAMPLE SIZEI took 20 consumers and 20 retailers as my respondents. They were selected byrandom sampling method because in this case systematic sampling is not

possible since one cannot say whether a person is using mineral water or not.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUERandom sampling technique will be used in this research project.



RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

For doing the survey research, structured questionnaire with both open-endedand closed-ended questions was used.

MODE OF SURVEYThe mode of survey was personal interview with the retailers and consumer‟s

during the filling up of the questionnaires.

PREPARING A QUESTIONARE jective both

consumer & retailers were studied apart from studying about thedomestic packaged drinking water market, Brand Sahara Q in detail.

& close end for retailer were prepared.



ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

CONSUMER RELATED

1. WHICH BRAND DO YOU PREFER WHILE BUYINGMINERAL WATER?

Hence it can be concluded that that 75% of the mineral water users go in for anoften use while there are still 15% of the respondents who sometimes go for

packaged water.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Often Always Sometimes

Series 1

Series 1



2. RESPONDENTS CHOICE AMONGST MINERAL WATER

AND SOFT DRINKS

Hence it can be concluded that 80% consumers have mineral water while only5% prefer other drinks.

80%

15%

5%

Sales

Mineral Water

Soft Drinks

Others



3. BRAND AWARENESS OF MINERAL WATER AMONG

RESPONDENTS

Hence it can be seen that 70% consumers are aware of the brands of mineralwater market while only 2% people are not aware of brands of the mineral wateravailable in the market.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

(0-2) (3-5) (6-10) 10 and Above

Series 1

Series 1



4. UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES RESPONDENTS OPT FORMINERAL WATER?

It can be seen that from the analysis that 50% consumers perfer mineral waterwhile travelling whereas 5% people consume for other reasons.

50%

20%

15%

10%

5%

While travellingParties,meetings and seminars

Illness

When water not available

Others



5. WHICH SIZE OF BOTTLE RESPONDENTS PREFER?

Hence it can be concluded that 60% cosumers prefer 1litre bottle of waterwhereas 15% people prefer 250 ml of bottle.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

250 ML 500 ML 1 LITRE

Series 1

Series 1



6. IS MINERAL WATER MORE HYGIENIC THAN NORMALWATER?

Hence it can be concluded that 85% people consider mineral water morehygeinic than normal water whereas only 15% prefer normal water.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

YES NO

Series 1

Series 1



7. CUSTOMERS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRICE WORTH

OF MINERAL WATER

Hence it can be concluded that 70% consumers consider the price of the mineralwater to be proper whereas only 30% people consider it to be more.

30%

70%

YES

NO



8. EFFECT OF ADVERTISING ON PURCHASE

Hence it can be seen from the data that 65% of the consumers purchase the

water through advertisements whereas only 35% consumers purchase withoutthe effect of advertisements.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

YES NO

Series 2

Series 2



9. GROWING HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG INDIANS

Hence it can be seen that 90% consumers are health concious among the Indians

Whereas the remaining 10% are not health conscious.

90%

10%

YES

NO



10. WHICH BRAND DO YOU PREFER WHILE BUYINGMINERAL WATER?

From the data it can be concluded that 40% consumers prefer bisleri as their brand forwater whereas only 5% people consume Sahara Q.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Bisleri Kinley Aquafina Sahara Q Others

Series 3

Series 3



ACCORDING TO RETAILERS

1. TYPES OF BRANDS THE RETAILER‟S SELL

Hence it can be seen that 70% retailers sell only 2-3 brands whereas only 15%of retailers sell more brands of water.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

(2-3) (3-5) MORE

Series 1

Series 1



2. TYPES OF BRANDS RETAILERS KEEP

Hence it can seen from the data that 70% of the retailers keep advertised brandsof mineral water whereas only 10% keep non advertised brands of water.

70%

10%

20%

Sales

Advertised

Non-Advertised

Both



3. ACCORDING TO RETAILER‟S WHICH BRAND IS SELLING

MORE

Hence from the data it can be seen that 45% of the retailers sell bisleri whileonly 5% of the retailers sell other brands.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Bisleri Aquafina Kinley Sahara Q Others

Series 2

Series 2



4. SIZE OF BOTTLE SELLING MORE

Hence from the retailers data it can be seen that 55% of the onsumers prefer500ml whereas only 5% retailers prefer 250ml of water.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

250 ml 500 ml 1 ltr 20 ltr

Series 3

Series 3



5. BRANDS WHICH GETS MORE MARGIN

According to the data collected 60% of the retailers got more margin fromSahara Q whereas only 5% retailers got margin from Kinley.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Bisleri Aquafina Kinley Sahara Q Others

Series 1

Series 1



6. GROWTH IN MINERAL WATER IN LAST 5 YEARS

Hence it can be concluded from the data that there is 90% growth in the watermarket from the last 5 years.

90%

10%

YES

NO



7. FUTURE PROSPECTS OF MINERAL WATERMARKET

According to the data obtained the future prospects of the water market areexcellent and will grow in the future.



PROBLEM FRAMING AND PROBLEM ANALYSIS

CHALLENGES

1. Cash problematic outlets

2. No credit to retailer

3. Display space constraints

4. Competition

5. Achieved monthly incentives

6. Excessive outlets7. Problem solving

8. Communication

SWOT ANALYSIS OF Sahara Q

STRENGTHS

Brand Name

Sealed Packaging

Reasonable Pricing

High Quality

Good Taste of the Product

Wide range of products

Attractive Packaging

WEAKNESSES

Poor Management

Not on time Delivery

Weak Distribution

Less target on corporate

Poor after sale service

Lack of knowledge of target

potential market

Sales force not efficient

Lack of visiting cards



Other Sahara sector problems are

associated with this

Giants like Bisleri and Aquafina

already set in market

Delay in targeting the streets of

Mumbai (in monsoon)

OPPORUNITIES

Easier to Launch Water in the

Summer Season

Price of Packaged Drinking water

is competitive with the other

organised players

Lot of promotions can be done in

Malls, Point of Purchase, via

Brochures, Danglers and Stickers.

THREATS

Dominance of Aquafina and

Bisleri in the Market

Higher Margins given to the

retailers by Local players

Lack of Customer awareness

Negative mindset due to other

sectors of Sahara which are in

trouble

Monsoon arrived early



RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGESTION

Campaign, stalls to beat local brands & create awareness.

Retailers need to concentrate on 1ltr and 20 litr bottle which can be possible only if properly advertised & home delivery of jars are done tothe end customers.

The market is too congested and confused so the company should properly promote & strengthen the distribution channel to survive thecompetition.

Can enter into premium segment market.

They can tie up with large commercial complex,hotels & airlinesindustries as they are the emerging sector

They can target the youth segment.

Launching trendy packs to attract more and more customers.

SAHARA Q SHOP should hire more enthusiastic, dynamic and

passionate professionals as there is a lot of demand in the market for the

industrial items.

The activities should be more intense in metros, adjoining smaller towns

and also the major cities located far off to increase the market share.

They should form HR policies to empower the Summer-interns and also

pay them appropriate stipend as any kind of sales promotional activity

requires funding and also motivates the interns by creating a sense of

attachment.

They should follow-up every lead, however small it may be and not focus

only on the big customers.

There should be attractive offers and motivational schemes for the

distributors and retailers time to time in an attempt to foster sales and

relationships with the dealers.

They should be expanding their targeting area like, in educational

institutes, rural areas. It will help to rise popularity of their products .

In case of Water industry, after launch the only factor which helps the

company survive in the market is the Distribution. Therefore it has to be

very effective. As far as the Energy Drink is concerned, the Youth can be

focused and Promotions in institutions, Gyms,Pubs & Clubs can be done.

Also tie ups with these can be done.



As the company has opened its Retail outlets, in the future they would be

the Eye catchers and effective promotions of these outlets and Aggressive

advertisements be it Television, print, online and Outdoor can be done.



ETHICAL , SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

OF THE PROJECT

Sahara Welfare Foundation, the social development unit of Sahara India

Pariwar, is engaged in social welfare projects which aims to initiate and

facilitate such processes and initiatives where socially & economically

marginalised and deprived people and communities irrespective of age, caste,

class, gender or race are able to participate actively in the process of their

development so that they may lead a life of dignity and respect.

In today‟s scenario where adulteration is common practice, Sahara Q Shop will

offer unadulterated quality products, with the objective of delivering 'Best

Quality at the Best Price'. We will have 7 Quality Labs spread across Delhi,

Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Nagpur, Patna and Lucknow where each and every

product will be tested for quality, along with 50 Scientists, 250 Sr. Associate

Quality Advisors and 500 Associate Quality Assurance Executives who shall

control perfect quality. Each point of our value chain – be it material, procurement, processing, manufacturing, packaging, warehousing distribution,

delivery, feedback collection and stringent analysis – will follow strictly laid

down Quality Control Systems. And most importantly to ensure the quality of

products reaching our esteemed customers, Sahara Q Shop will have its own

distribution channel. This eliminates the possibilities of any tampering /

malpractices.

“LET’S KILL ADULTERATION



BEFORE IT KILLS US”



INTERNATIONAL CROWN QUALITY AWARD



MY LEARNINGS

5 STEPS OF MAKING A CALL

Selling a product is never easy. It includes special efforts, planning and

strategies. This is because, Selling is the key function of Marketing and an

Ultimate aim of every businessman. If a product fails , it means the strategies

that were adopted were not in proper place. While talking to a retailer/buyer,

there are certain points that have to be kept in mind and precautions have to be

taken. These points are listed below:-

1. Planning

2. Seeking Information

3. Selling

4. On Shelf Management

5. Completion

Planning

This is the first stage and a very important stage. If a researcher/seller fails in

the first step he will not be able to achieve his purpose. In this step, the seller

needs have knowledge about the retailer. Seller needs to know his personal

details, details about his shop,the location, his potential or capacity. The retailer

is the potential customer so the seller needs to understand his capability in

selling the products. This step helps the Seller to as he does his homework and

can accordingly plan as to how to pitch or how to approach a retailer.



Seeking Information

Here, the seller needs to do indepth study about the retailer. The seller should

try to build a relationship with the retailer. He needs to use strategies to

approach the retailer. For that, he needs to find out the timings of customer

crowd in the shop, leisure time,lunch time of retailer, his availability in the

entire day, timings. Care should be taken that the retailer is not to be disturbed

while he is busy with his customers and while doing important work. Also

information about the range of products and brands kept in the stores, the

SKU‟s have to be observed. Accordingly, the seller can judge his opportunity

and potential of the retailer. The seller also needs to find out most preffered

brands of retailers. For this, friendly interaction needs to be done so as to find

out the reasons of a retailer for stocking a particular product. By doing this, the

seller can make space for his products in the retail outlet.

Selling

This is the most important step. We often feel that selling is just a transaction

between the buyer and the seller. But in reality, it is not so. Today it is not

enough just to sell a product for a profit. For selling, various strategies have to

be observed. For e.g. Greeting a Retailer, Saying good things about his shop,

observing the product placement, storage facilities, displays and promotions

becomes crucial. A seller should never give an impression to a retailer that he is

doing a transaction only for money. Retailer‟s benefit needs to be highlighted. A



Seller needs to be confident, polite,caring, helpfulshow concern to the retailer.

The seller needs to be friendly and needs to listen to the retailer and his

problems. Retailer can also come up with solutions to his problems by offering

him special schemes and discounts.

On Shelf management

Once retailer agrees to buy the product the seller needs to see that the product is

effectively placed in the retail store. The seller needs to find proper location for

promoting the product by way of pictures,brochures,point of purchase

displays,etc. A Seller needs to take care that his product is visible to the

customer. The product needs to be displayed in such a manner that it is

appealing to the consumers. The product should be placed in a systematic

manner and should not be kept in a haphazard manner. Proper On Shelf

Management becomes one of the key factors for its sale.

Completion

After the transaction is complete,the retailer needs to be thanked not only for

purchasing the product but also for spending his time with the seller. The seller

needs to express his gratitude towards a retailer. Also, the seller needs to

enquire about his next visit and can give tentative day of his next visit.



FACTORS THAT WILL HELP IN IMPROVING SALES

Promotions (in malls)- Malls are a great opportunity to do promotions.

This is because malls are able to attract maximum crowd and innovative

sales promotion techniques can be used in the malls. As far as energy

drink is concerned free sampling in these places will promote tha product

at a great level.

Advertisements- there are different modes of advertisements for every

product like Digital Advertisements or traditional way of radio and

newspaper advertisments.

Sample Testing- In college festivals NRG drinks can be provided as

samples to students which will be targeting the cream market of energy

drink . Also water can be sold there by providing sponsorship and

opening stalls.

Credit Facility – There are a large number of retailers who are willing to

keep product on credit basis but the only drawback on allowing this is

that they wont take efforts to sell the product.

Display – There were danglers, posters, brochures provided which helped

in sales n promotion but large bill boards and prints on trucks would

bring in light the brand more among the people.



Ready Stock – In coherence with the display on trucks, these trucks

should carry ready stock of the products instead of a person taking order

and giving it to the distributor but this would be only possible once a

certain number of order is expected daily else there is a loss to the

distributor as the cost of vehicle and loader would increase than the

amount the earn by selling and delivering.

Tie-up- Like redbull has had a tie-up with a alcohol brand, Sahara‟s NRG

should also tie up with a famous liquor brand which will promote it

significantly

DISTRIBUTOR

The distributor is the middleman and the member of the distribution channel.

He is the link between the Company and the retailer. Many a times, it is not

possible for a company to supply its products directly to a retailer. There are

various constraints like time constraint, Geographical distance, lack of

equipments, manpower, capacity due to which the Company cannot directly

supply products to the retailers. Hence a distributor is chosen to do that role.



Factors to be taken care of while selecting a Distributor

Selection of a Distributor is a crucial decision because it is he who is going to

supply products to the retailer. Therefore, there are various factors that have to

be taken care of before selecting a Distributor. They are as follows

Background of the Distributor- before selecting a distributor his

background needs to be known. Information about the distributor, his

personal details ,his operations needs to be known.

Potential of the Distributor- how many products can a distributor

deliver in a single day, what is the delivery time needs to be found out.

His Method of Working- Every distributor has his own way of working.

Every distributor manages his responsibilities in a different manner and

achieves his target. Does a distributor perform his work effectively and

manage his people well also needs to be ensured.

Past Records- before selecting a distributor,his past records,his image in

the market ,his successful deals need to be found out so as to decide

whether he is the right person or not. Information can also be gathered

about his past clients.

Number of Products he is Distributing- the nature and the type of

product,ranges of the product that the distributor is supplying convey a lot

about his potential,calibre and efficiency.



Area of Distribution- the distributor should be willing to work in the

area as required by the company. Before deciding him for a particular

area,care should be taken that the area is a feasible option for him.

Ensuring Delivery Time- Delivery is the key aspect which builds

relationship between the retailer and the company. Hence, the delivery

time of the distributor is extremely important.

Number of people available for Distribution- this is important for cost

of the distributor and for loading and unloading of goods.

Legal/Official documents of the Distributor-before cracking a deal they

have to be checked properly.

Distributor’s Policies- there has to be transparency in the operations. In

case distributor has fixed policies,rules they need to be cleared before

signing the contract.

Storage Space-does the distributor have proper place to store the goods

have to be observed. How does a distributor manage his inventory, has to

be observed thoroughly.

Capacity of the Vehicle used for Distribution- which vehicle is used

for distribution,what is the capacity of the van,how much quantity of

goods can be loaded at one trip should be known as they influence the

cost.



COSTS OF THE DISTRIBUTOR

Whenever a Company approaches a distributor, he does not immediatelty agree

to the offer. There are various factors that need to be considered. There are

various factors that influence is decision. After getting an offer,the distributor

first things about the Return on Investment,the margins that he would be

getting,his breakeven point. Various things included in Cost of Distributor are

Vehicle Cost

Fuel charges of Vehicle

Maintenance of Vehicle

Loading and Unloading Charges

Storage Cost

Salaries of Employees (Loader , Driver etc)

Cost of Returned goods.



PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION

Competitors price Distributors margin

Brand Price Distributor Margin

in Rs.

BISLERI 85 COMPANY 10

AQUAFINA 75 COMPANY 10

QXYRICH 60 LOCAL 10

BAILY 65 COMPANY 10

KINGFISHER 65 COMPANY 10

PARLE AGNO 65 LOCAL 10

SAHARA Q WATER 75 LOCAL 7



OBSERVATIONS IN THE MARKET

We have targeted different types of retail outlets. These include general stores,

mom & pop stores, medical shops, dairy,farsan and sweetmeat shops, pan beedi

shops and restaurants. All these outlets possess different features and have

different potentials. The retailers in these outlets also have different attitudes,

perceptions and risk taking abilities.

General Stores- Retailers in general stores are cooperative and are also

willing to pay attention to new offers. They have many products stocked

in their shops and hence their potential can be judged. These retailers are

very experimental and have high risk taking abilities. They do not run

behind margins but are ready to face challenges and be competitive in one

another. They believe in providing best offerings to their customers. They

even are willing to purchase more than 10 boxes at a time which shows

their confidence and their ability to sell.

Mom & Pop Stores- they deal with products pertaining to day to day life

of a customer. Hence they know what the customer wants and what kind

of products to offer. They have a fairly good response towards our

product. In case of tie ups with different brands they are very adamant but

otherwise do not mind trying new products.



Dairy farms- they offer a good opportunity in terms of packaged

drinking water as well as energy drinks. These shops have huge

potentials, the retailers are also quite experimental and give a good

response for our products. The owners/retailers are visionary, analyst and

know exactly which product has potential and which does not. Dairy

farms have great potentials and can be concentrated in future. Sample

Testing is demanded by them.

Farsan & Sweet shops- they have very good potentials and response in

terms of packaged drinking water. Retailers are experimental and risk

takers. These shops have a wide product range from snacks to beverages

as well as water. Due to this they attract more number of customers and

have high potentials.

Medical Shops- there is mixed response in case of medical shops

because some of them have tie ups with other companies due to which

they cannot store our products. Brand building, Effective Advertisements

and Sales promotions are tools that will help gain trust of these shops.

Restaurants- they have a very high potential in terms of promoting a

product. Various promotional tools such as posters, dangers, fridges of

the brand can be placed in a restaurant which will gain attention of

maximum number of people. The major problem in a restaurant is tie up

and contract with the companies. But few restaurant owners are very

experimental. If the product is offered at a best prices with special



schemes,then they are ready to crack a deal. Sample Testing is demanded

by them.

Pan Beedi Shops-here the owners are attracted by margins but at the

same time are very experimental and welcoming for new products. These

have high potentials and are ready to crack a deal if it is cost effective.

19%

26%

31%

4%

20%

sales of water per area

Andheri

Vile parle

Santa cruz

Khar road

Bandra

Bandra

51%

khar

2%

santacruz

15%

vileparle

21%

andheri

11%

Energy Drink Sale per area



Cooperates-

In cooperates ,companies offer a good opportunity in terms of 20 litre jars.Here

there is mixed response,some have tie up with other brand and not ready to

change the product whereas other are attracted towards price and proper

distribution. Supply of products is also in huge stock which is about 10jars a

day and for a longer period which lead a good profit for the company.

Initial stage of the project

1) Staying close to your customers:

For example, how often do you ask them what they want/need that they

are not getting from anyone? Staying close to the ultimate product user:

how often do you talk with the end users of your product, if they are not

the same people who actually buy your product?

Staying close to your sales force, if you have one: when was the

last time you asked anyone in sales if they have seen anything that

is better or that they like better?

Staying close to your suppliers: suppliers are often the closest to

the latest technology, materials, ingredients, international

advances, and competitive improvements.

Larger companies will periodically conduct usage and attitude studies, diary

panel studies, product perception mapping studies, and other product



development monitoring devices. They may also employ special researchers to

scan patents and new product technology publication sources and talk with

industry attorneys, consultants, research firms, and industry/trade experts to

keep tabs on target user needs and wants.

2) Market Situation :

Which includes size, growth trends of total market, and key segments

For example, a small business could include local industry sales or

volume for the last five years and estimated total market for this year and

the following year, with company sales and share of the market.

Rationale should be provided for estimating the trend of the market, including

key industry developments, introduction of new technology or new products,

increased marketing spending by key competitors, etc.

3) Competitive Situation:

Which provides a description of major competitors with size, goals, market

share, product quality comparisons, marketing strategies, marketing

spending, etc?

• Description of key competitors and their market positioning • size of key

competitors in units/dollars • market shares of key competitors • sales trends of

key com petitors • strengths and weaknesses of key competitors compared to



FACTORS THAT HAVE IMPACT ON SALE OF A PRODUCT

Players in the market

Every product has a totally different market scenario. Whenever a product is

newly introduced in the market, definitely there are challenges and problems

that it faces. The biggest challenge is the competitors. Their presence itself

poses a big challenge because one needs to compete with the established players

in the Market. Their Brand Value, popularity, reputation, market share all these

factors create hindrances in the initial stage.

Competitor’s activities, promotions- Every player in the Market wants to be

the best due to which he is constantly proactive and is trying to attract more and

more customers. The established players in the market know the essence of the

market and the requirements of the consumers. Hence they come up with

innovative strategies and techniques for promoting their product. If these

catches the eye of the customer, he immediately buys the product.

Competitor’s Pricing Strategies:

Price is one of the most crucial and distinguishable factor which influences the

Retailer‟s as well as the customer‟s buying behaviour. Effective pricing

strategies by established brands pose a threat to the new ones and a significant

difference in price creates problem.



Tie ups and Contracts of Retail Outlets with the brands

Established Brands often tie up with many retailer outlets. Once the retailer is

tied up with them,according to the contract,he cannot stock the competitor‟s

product. As soon as the retailer ties up with a particular company, he

immediately gets promotional tools, special offers and discounts. Sometimes the

retailer is given extra monetary income for stocking their products. In case for a

company like Pepsico, which has numerous products, the retailers are also given

discount for other products. Sometimes Customized offerings are also made. Tie

ups is an effective method to end competition.

Perception of Retailer about the Brand- For introducing a new product to the

retailer, lot of initial efforts in terms of advertising and promotions have to be

made. As the retailer is unaware of the product, effective techniques and

approach needs to be used to convince him. After introducing the product to the

retailer, he develops a certain image about the product which certainly affects

the sale.

Perception of Customer about the Brand- A retailer stocks the products as

per consumer‟s demands. He is more concerned about fulfilling the demands of

the consumers. When a consumer is made aware of the product through a

retailer, effective advertising and display the customer also develops a brand

image. This has a strong impact on Sale.



Distribution System

The Water Industry is extremely dynamic in nature. Mostly all the competitive

products offer the same price range to the customers. But as far as the retailers

are concerned they won‟t hesitant to switch over a brand if there is lack of

proper distribution system. After sales, it is the distributions of a product which

will help the brand survive in the market.



PRICING STRUCTURE OF SAHARA Q WATER PRODUCTS

Package size MRP/Bottle No. of

bottles in a

case

MRP per

case

Retailer

price

Packaged

drinking

water

250 ml 6 24 144 115

500ml 10 24 240 160

1000ml 18 12 216

20 LTR 75 1 75 70

Natural

mineral

water

500 ml 30 24 720 612

1000ml 50 12 600 510

Energy

drink



TYPES OF MARKETING CHANNELS

Manufacturer to Consumer

In this channel there is no intermediary. Manufacturer makes the

goods and directly distributes to consumers.

2. Manufacturer to Retailer to Consumer

Retailer is the intermediary between manufacturer and consumer. He

purchases goods from manufacturer and sells to consumer.

3. Manufacturer to Wholesaler to Retailer to Consumer

In this channel, there are two option, one is wholesaler and other is

retailer. Wholesaler buys large scale and sells to retailer and the

retailer sells to consumer.

4. Manufacturer to Wholesaler to Consumer

Consumer can buy easily and directly from wholesaler. So, in this

channel there is only one intermediary and he is wholesaler.

Integrated Channel or Non conventional channels

integrated channel are modern channel for distribution of goods. This

channel can be divided into two parts.



1.Vertical Channel

Vertical channel is that corporate channel which are useful for the flow

of products which are capital nature. In this, if one company contracts

with other manufacturers who will convert the capital product into most

usable shape and sell it to the dealers. Then it will be vertical channel.

2. Horizontal Channel

Two companies join together for marketing of any product for reducing

competition and excess capacity.



CONCLUSION

After analysis of the data & facts we have collected from consumer &the retailers & matching them with the objectives one can say that there

is very good future for water market. Soft drink market might be some threat to the water at

present but within few years the scenario is going to change. Trendsignifying increasing health consciousness amongst Indians could also beobserved.

Market has seen a tremendous growth from the early nineties & now it isincreasing by 70% to 90% every year so one can easily say there is great

potential in the water market.

It could also be observed that the living standards of the People

improving & as they are becoming health conscious are ready to pay forwater now. On the question of survival of so many companiesgovernment has made policies & restrictions from April 2001 which willforce many manufactures to shut down their factories. But due to

potential in the market companies with quality product will survive.

Finally from the data collected at both primary and secondary level onecan confidently say that Sahara Q as packaged water brand is theemerging brand in the market.



FUTURE PLANS

The range of products which they are planning to launch are as follows:-

Pulses- All the pulses are sortexed, cleaned and have a low moisture

content. Being unpolished, they do not have a shiny surface. Some of the products that they are coming up with are Chana Kesari, Moong Dhuli,

Moong Chilka, Kabuli Chana, and Urad Chilka.

Dals- They are sortexted, cleaned and have a low moisture content. Being

unpolished, they do not have a shiny surface. Soaking the Dals for 20

minutes gives a better yield and great taste. The Classic Dals give higher

yield of cooking namely‟ Q Rajma Sharmilli, Chana Dal,Arhar Dal,

Masoor Milka, Urad Dal.

Rice- Rice is obtained from Select Quality paddy grains and is processedthrough a multi stage milling process to retain nutrition flavour and taste.

It offers a unique fragrance, long and delicate basmati grains for the finest

taste. The best Quality Authentic Rice gives a better yield on cooking

with great aroma. Swagat Basmati Rice, Royal Basmati Rice, Mogra

Basmati rice are few included in this category.

Spices- Spices are processed in s modern plant using scientific

technology that helps to retain the freshness and taste for a long period of

time. It includes Garam Masala,Haldi Powder.



Flour- All the flour items are of fine texture of six grains namely

wheat,oats,soya,barley,chana and maize.

Ghee- Rich in aroma it is strictly manufactured from milk fat under Q

Hygienic conditions.

Oils- it has the goodness of Vitamains A, D2 and E.

Snacks & Savouries- it includes bhujia,farsan,mix dal, chips, Noodles

and Vermicelli (Kheer).

Beverages- it includes different types of Juices and Tea.

Cookies & Biscuits- they have flavours of Cashewnuts, Orange.

Jams- it contained Mixed Fruit, Strawberry and Pine Apple.

Breakfast Cereals- they were basically cornflakes.

Sauces Ketchups Condiments- it includes Snack Sauce, TomatoKetchup and Pickle.

Toothpaste-it includes Red Dental Gel and Super White Toothpaste.they

offer all round dental care.

Soaps- it includes Cleansing,Moisturizing and Germ Control Soap.

Men’s Hygiene- it includes Moisturizing shaving cream

Skin Care Health Care – Fairness Cream Hair care- this includes Root

Strengthening shampoo, anti dandruff shampoo, Amla hair oil and Herbal

Henna Fragrance – All Day Fresh Talc Home Care Glass Cleaner, Surface

Cleaner, Toilet Cleaner, Mosquito Coil, Scrubber, Agarbatti, are products

included in this Category.

Utensil Care- Dishwash Active liquid and Dishwash bar are the

products.

Fabric Care- this includes matic Detergent Powder, Advanced Detergent

powder and Detergent Cake.

MARKET POTENTIAL GROWTH

SAHARA Q SHOP is recently has came up in the market. So company‟s market

growth chances are very high. They can set into the market in the way they



want. As we all know that SAHARA INDIA is a huge company so they can put

big amount to expand and promote SAHARA Q SHOP easily.

1. Market Situation which includes size, growth trends of total market, and

key segments. For example, a small business could include local

industry sales or volume for the last five years and estimated total

market for this year and the following year, with company sales and

share of the market.

2. Rationale should be provided for estimating the trend of the market,

including key industry developments, introduction of new technology or

new products, increased marketing spending by key competitors, etc.

3. Competitive Situation which provides a description of major

competitors with size, goals, market share, product quality comparisons,

marketing strategies, marketing spending, etc.

description of key competitors and their market positioning

size of key competitors in units/dollars

market shares of key competitors

sales trends of key competitors

strengths and weaknesses of key competitors compared to your

company's product or services

perceived marketing strategies of key competitors and their probable

impact on your company



4. Target Buyer or End User Situation which analyzes the identification

and behaviour of target buyers/end users and consumer wants and needs

Larger companies will periodically conduct usage and attitude studies, diary

panel studies, product perception mapping studies, and other product

development monitoring devices. They may also employ special researchers to

scan patents and new product technology publication sources and talk with

industry attorneys, consultants, research firms, and industry/trade experts to

keep tabs on target user needs and wants.

After making a strong retail debut in multiple cities of India, Sahara Q

shop, retail venture of Sahara India Pariwar is now all set to take on the

ecommerce wave with its new online store SaharaQshop.com.

It was launched on June 10th on the birthday of Subrata Roy, Founder

and Chairman of Sahara India Pariwar.

Talking to the Ecommerce head of Sahara Q shop, Darshan Satgar, he

highlights that, “There is gap of no big player being here at this

platform(FMCG category), there were attempt made earlier by smaller

websites but delivery mechanism was restricted to 3rd party, and because

of that it was difficult to complete the delivery, and companies(Offline

retailers) were not recognising ecommerce for this industry,”

“Even the smaller websites that have been launched had limited reach to

few cities or states. So for Sahara, its an opportunity to explore this

industry,” he added.

He also claims that it will be a long term approach and the company will

provide immense learning for expansion giving an early mover

advantage.

All the products being offered will be private labelled with Sahara Q. For

now it has over 300 products being listed. Beverages, processed food,

http://www.saharaqshop.com/





personal care, home care, etc are the few categories to be added for now

with introduction of more categories in coming months.

To start with, it will fulfill orders in 10 cities with 100% company owned

delivery system, offering free shipping on minimum cart value of INR

500, which might be increased to INR 1000 in future.

For logistics, the company will use its own delivery network „Sahara Q

Shop supply chain‟. It controls the entire distribution process, which

includes product development, inventory planning, sourcing, production,

logistics, warehousing and delivery at customers‟ end.

The website claims to deliver products in 3-4 days depending upon the

locations, i.e. 48 hours for major cities and 4 days for other small cities.

The company will also be open for bulk orders.

Sahara Q Shop‟s online store will also focus on carrying its brand

position by offering quality products to its online customers as its USP

along with the convenience in delivery.

Sahara Q shop has started with a mission to curb menaces of rampant

adulteration, dishonest practices of compromising with quality, under-

weighing, etc. and thus will be focussed to provide the customers with

100% unadulterated and best quality products at most competitive prices

says the chairman‟s message on the website. The company has also adopted „Sahara Quality Management System‟

(SQMS) to ensure quality control which includes raw material testing,

online process monitoring, finished product testing and secondly, Quality

Assurance i.e. verification of quality systems in the entire value chain by

developing and verifying SQMS of all food categories and non-food

categories and eliminating all types of hazards (physical, chemical and

biological).

The company is also looking for exclusive retailers for its private label. Currently it has 550 operational stores and by end of financial year (April

2013 to 31st March 2014) this count will reach 10,000 stores across India

as mentioned on the online website.

It will compete online with players such as Bigbasket.com,

MyGrahak.com, Zopnow.com, Aaramshop.com to name a few.

Other players which launched similar categories recently includes

Homeshop18 and Ebay.in.

FMCG is a hard to crack category when it comes online, but what mighthelp Sahara Q Shop to sail through it will be its brand exclusivity and

http://www.saharaqshop.com/shop/faces/jsp/qChairmansMessage.jsp




http://www.saharaqshop.com/shop/faces/jsp/qExclusiveRetailer.jsp







might be the higher margins being a private label altogether for more

quality savvy customers.



BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.saharaqshop.com

www.sahara.in/qshop.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara_India_Pariwar www.sahara.in/ Under observation of MR.ASHOK.J. ( SAHARA Q SHOP) MS SYLVIA AND MR

SHIVHAM.






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