Co-op giant Amul has opened its first mall in India, Amul Green, as it begins experimenting with the modern retail format.
The world’s 13th largest dairy organisation, Amul has opened the new venture in a 5,800 sq ft area, which it previously rented to a restaurant.
The mall centre will sell 6,500 items of food and other products, and the co-op is opening a restaurant, Amul Foodland, next to the mall.
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, which trades as Amul, reported a turnover of USD$3.5bn for the financial year 2015-2016, up 11% from the previous year.
The federation includes 17 member unions and sells 12m litres of milk bags per day in India, which is the world’s biggest producer and consumer of milk. Amul is India’s largest food products marketing organisation.
Managing director Mr K Rathnam told India Times he expected a turnover of Rs 800,000 (£7,018) a day for the mall and restaurant.
The co-operative is purchasing spices, grains, pulses, oil, nuts and sugar in bulk, which it will package and sell under the Amul Green brand.
It plans to buy agricultural products directly from farmers to enable them to obtain better prices for their products.
