BigBasket, an online grocery retailer, has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Bengaluru, with plans to expand the number of such locations swiftly.
According to sources, the outlets will be known as ‘Fresho.’ Big Basket’s private label brand, ‘Fresho,’ is utilised to sell products across a variety of food categories on its platform. The initiative is the e-first grocer’s foray into the omni-channel market, which is dominated by Reliance Retail and others.
The Tata Group-backed company’s initiative comes as other digital competitors that began with delivery, such as Swiggy and Dunzo, are now increasing the ante by opening dark storefronts to fulfil grocery purchases in a hyperlocal play. An e-commerce company’s dark store is a location where online orders are fulfilled.
Reliance Retail, which also owns JioMart, debuted its premium grocery store concept Freshpik in Mumbai earlier this month.
Sources say the Fresho outlets could also be utilised for order fulfilment, though a Tata Group representative declined to comment for this story.
According to a recent analysis by Kearney, India’s e-grocery sector is likely to be attractive over the next several years, with e-commerce expected to account for more than 25% of the growth in the organised grocery category.
