The Future Group Future Group, led by its founder and Group CEO, Mr.

Kishore Biyani, is one of India's leading business houses with multiple businesses spanning across the consumption space. While retail forms the core business activity of Future Group, group subsidiaries are present in consumer finance, capital, insurance, leisure and entertainment, brand development, retail real estate development, retail media and logistics. Led by its flagship enterprise, Pantaloon Retail, the group operates over 12 million square feet of retail space in over 71 cities and towns and 65 rural locations across India. The group owns several leading formats including Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Home Town, eZone and Central. Pantaloon Retail was awarded the International Retailer of the Year - 2007, by the US-based National Retail Federation, the largest retail trade association and the Emerging Market Retailer of the Year 2007 at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona.

Future group companies includes,Future capital holdings,Future Generali India Indus League Clothing and Galaxy Entertainment that manages Sports Bar,Brew Bar and Bowling Co. Future Capital Holdings,the groups financial arm,focuses on asset management and consumer credit.it manages assets worth over $1 billion that are being invested in developing retail real estate and consumer related brands and hotels. The groups joint partners include Italian insurance major,Generali,French retailer ETAM group,US based stationery product retailer,Staples Inc. and UK based Lee Cooperand India based Talwalkars , Blue Foods and Liberty shoes . Future Groups vision is todeliver everything,everywhere,everytime to every Indian Consumer in the most the most profitable manner.the group considers Indian-ness as a core value and its corporate credo is rewrite rules,retain values.

Big Bazaar was launched in September, 2001 with the opening of three stores in Calcutta, Bangalore and Hyderabad in 22 days. Within a span of ten years, there are now 148 Big Bazaar stores in 80 cities and towns across India. Big Bazaar is designed as an agglomeration of bazaars or Indian markets with clusters offering a wide range of merchandise including fashion and apparels, food products, general merchandise, furniture, electronics, books, fast food and leisure and entertainment sections. Food Bazaar, a supermarket format was incorporated within Big Bazaar in 2002 and is now present within every Big Bazaar as well as in independent locations. There are now 169 Food Bazaar outlets, including those located within Big Bazaar. A typical Big Bazaar is spread across around 50,000 square feet of retail space. While the larger metropolises have Big Bazaar Familycentres measuring between 75,000 square feet and 1,60,000 square feet, Big Bazaar Express stores in smaller towns measure around 30,000 square feet. Most of the Big Bazaar stores are multi-level and are located in standalone buildings in city centers as well as within shopping malls. These stores offer over 200,000 SKUs in a wide range of categories led primarily by fashion and food products. The increase in SKUs in existing categories and the introduction in new categories encouraged the opening of larger stores or Super centers measuring 100000 sq ft or more. There are now 5 Big Bazaar Super centers. Considering this scale of expansion,technologies play a significant role. The introduction of SAP in 2005-06 and its roll out during the year ,positively impacted the business. Big Bazaar is part of Future Group and is owned through a wholly owned subsidiary of Pantaloon Retail India Limited, that is listed on Indian stock exchanges.

In the financial year 2006-07 ,the companys retail businesses discovered new categories across formats,new stes of consumers ,and fresher and contemporary merchandise. They have been able to offer more in the established business and gain favourable acceptance with new concepts.In addition concerted expansion plans saw retail space increase to over 5.2 million sq.ft at the end of 2006-07.this expansion mode was characterized by two pronged approach.By dominating the cities the company was already present in and by bringing the benefits of modern retail to towns and cities like Mangalore,Palakkad,Surat,Indore,Kanpur,Haldia,Agra,Coimbatore,Jai pur and Panipat.the company has also undertaken significant private label initiatives in food,in general merchandise,and in consumer durables and electronics categories. Strategic alliances have also been formed with established national and international brands.However the most significant development was the internal realignment of the company undertook within each of its retail businesses. To embark on a more detailed approach towards value creation and increasing efficiency,the company reviewed its business operations and adopted a more focused approach by creating an integrated support unit or line of business. Augmenting the retail front team line of business have been created in the most critical businesses food,fashion and general merchandise. Formed during the second half of 2006-07 these business unit focus on introducing optimum operational efficiencies. Thus these units ensure the back end measures are appropriately taken care of and the right kind of merchandise reaches the store at the best possible time,at the right price. These teams focus on product consolidation and suitability,margin improvement and vendor rationalization ,thereby ensuring the sources benefits are made available to the front end teams. The companys efforts over the next couple of years would entail a combination of expansion and process upgradation and implementation.

Some important happenings over a decade surrounding Big Bazaar:

2002 * Big Bazaar - ICICI Bank Card is launched. * Food Bazaar becomes part of Big Bazaar with the launch of the first store in Mumbai at High Street Phoenix 2003 * Big Bazaar enters Tier II cities with the launch of the store in Nagpur * Big Bazaar welcomes its 10 million-th customer at its new store in Gurgaon 2004 * Big Bazaar wins its first award and national recognition. Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar awarded the countrys most admired retailer award in value retailing and food retailing segment at the India Retail Forum * A day before Diwali, the store at Lower Parel becomes the first to touch Rs 10 million turnover on a single day 2005 * Initiates the implementation of SAP and pilots a RFID project at its central warehouse in Tarapur * Launches a unique shopping program: the Big Bazaar Exchange Offer, inviting customers to exchange household junk at Big Bazaar * Electronic Bazaar and Furniture Bazaar are launched

2006 * Mohan Jadhav sets a national record at Big Bazaar Sangli with a Rs 1,37,367 shopping bill. The Sangli farmer becomes Big Bazaars largest ever customer. * Big Bazaar launches Shakti, Indias first credit card program tailored for housewives * Navaras the jewellery store launched within Big Bazaar stores 2007 * The 50th Big Bazaar store is launched in Kanpur * Big Bazaar partners with Futurebazaar.com to launch India's most popular shopping portal * Big Bazaar initiates the Power of One campaign to help raise funds for the Save The Children India Fund * Pantaloon Retail wins the International Retailer of the Year at USbased National Retail Federation convention in New York and Emerging Retailer of the Year award at the World Retail Congress held in Barcelona.

2008 * Big Bazaar becomes the fastest growing hypermarket format in the world with the launch of its 101st store within 7 years of launch * Big Bazaar dons a new look with a fresh new section, Fashion@Big Bazaar * Big Bazaar joins the league of Indias Business Superbrands. It is voted among the top ten service brands in the country in the latest Pitch-IMRB international survey

2009 * Big Bazaar initiates Maha Annasantarpane program at its stores in South India a unique initiative to offer meals to visitors and support local social organisations * Big Bazaar captures almost one-third share in food and grocery products sold through modern retail in India 2010 * Future Value Retail Limited is formed as a specialised subsidiary to spearhead the groups value retail business through Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and other formats. * Big Bazaar wins CNBC Awaaz Consumer Awards for the third consecutive year. Adjudged the most preferred Most Preferred Multi Brand Food & Beverage Chain, Most Preferred Multi Brand Retail Outlet and Most Preferred Multi Brand One Stop Shop * Big Bazaar connects over 30,000 small and medium Indian manufacturers and entrepreneurs with around 200 million customers visiting its stores