/
•
•
Context is everything.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
Rivals like Zudio and Max, with better quality fare at comparable prices, are stealing a march, but DMart continues to back its losing line.
Mention DMart and discounts, value and savings come to mind. Since the launch of the supermarket chain in 2002, its owner Avenue Supermarts Ltd has focused on these aspects, creating an entirely new segment within organized retail in the process. Besides offering steep discounts on branded essentials in food and non-food categories, buyers can also pick up low-priced non-essentials, which the company calls general merchandise and apparel.
The premise is simple enough—offer under one roof at its 336 (and counting) stores, almost everything that a price-conscious buyer would want while expanding the total addressable market. The icing on the cake …
The retailer has shrunk operations to fix its loss-making vertical. But a reduced presence risks hurting volumes in a segment dominated by Blinkit and Instamart.
Surprisingly strong metrics alongside aggressive expansion mask a lurking balance-sheet risk. Moreover, competition is not going to be kind to the retail giant any time soon.
Slowing growth, weakening store metrics and a puzzling fundraise point to the retailer losing some of its post-Zudio sheen.
