Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has been experimenting with modern retailing concepts to tap into the retail potential of India and to boost the sale of khadi and popularise it, especially among the fashion-savvy youth.
The Commission has now come up with a new store concept called ‘Khadi Korner’ that will be rolled out under the shop-in-shop model in partnership with modern retail chain stores.
The first Khadi Korner has been launched with Globus, a Mumbai-based retail clothing store chain and a part of Raheja Group. The store, located within Globus store at the Great India Place Mall in Noida, was recently inaugurated by Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Speaking at the store launch, the Minister said that khadi has yet again created a new dimension in retailing by tying up with various retail chains to launch Khadi Korner. Unlike the days of yore, khadi is no longer perceived as a dress worn by politicians or grandparents only and it has become widely popular nowadays.
“Earlier, loyal customers of khadi used to travel distances to reach khadi bhandars to buy it. But today, it has not only become a favourite fabric, it has showcased its presence right from the sleepy hamlets to mega-malls of the cosmopolitans,” he stated.
KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena, who was also present at the launch, said that their new initiative of opening exclusive Khadi Korners in major malls and supermarkets in the country will help ensure Khadi’s presence at the doorstep. “Availability is one of the key selling points in the modern world,” he underlined.
The average daily sale at ‘Khadi Korner’ is expected to be approximately Rs. 30,000 and it will certainly be a major marketing game-plan for Khadi in retail and will give a major push to its sales, Saxena added.
In addition, KVIC is planning the designer intervention to introduce market trendy designs in Khadi. “Reputed designers like Ritu Beri, Nachiket and institutes like NIFT, SNDT and Pearl Academy are also being roped in for this initiative,” Saxena told.
With its first Khadi Korner up and running in Noida, KVIC is looking to open more such shop-in-shops in collaboration with Globus at Chennai, Varanasi and Ahmedabad as well.
Going further, KVIC is also in talks with several more retail chains and designers to give retail presence to khadi in major malls and retail stores. While it has already signed a pact with Mumbai-based Cotton Bazaar to launch Khadi Korners in February 2018 across their stores, discussions are on with Aditya Birla Fashion, Apna Bazaar, Big Bazaar, Lakewood Malls, Shoppers Stop and others to further expand the concept.
Khadi currently has more than 8,000 stores pan-India. Riding on ‘Make in India’ wave, the khadi fabric posted sales of Rs. 1,342.12 crores during April-December 2017 as compared to Rs. 1,159.36 crores for the same period last year.
Noticeably, KVIC is a statutory body functioning under the aegis of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Govt. of India. It is entrusted with the development and promotion of Khadi and Village Industries in rural India. KVIC is entering into various forms of collaboration with other agencies for the marketing of Khadi and Village Industries products produced by the implementing agencies of KVIC, nationally and internationally.
