Birla Retail to open 100 supermarkets every year

Aditya Birla Retail, the retailing arm of Aditya Birla group,

is looking at opening 100 supermarkets under 'More' brand every year in the next three years, including this year, to bolster its retail presence. Birla Retail is also planning to open half dozen hypermarkets next financial year.

Birla's plans come after the retailer closed 40 supermarkets in cities such as Mumbai and others which were not making profits, last year. Birla Retail has around 500 supermarkets and 14 hypermarkets now. The chain has supermarkets from 1,000 square feet to 6,000 square feet, but the chain's sweet-spot is 2,500 square feet. The retailer has opened three hypermarkets in FY2013 so far and looking to open two more stores by March 2013.

The Group's foray into the retail sector began in December 2006 when it acquired Trinethra, the chain of stores based in south India. May 2007 saw Aditya Birla Retail (ABRL) launch their own brand of stores called 'More.' ABRL's vision is to consistently provide the Indian consumer complete and differentiated shopping experiences and be amongst India's top retailers while delivering superior returns to all stakeholders.