Future Group plans to take its pvt labels to

neighbourhood stores
Writankar Mukherjee KOLKATA

KISHORE Biyani-owned Future Group plans to take three of its top-selling private label brands
DJ&C, Bare and Dreamlinebeyond the groups retail stores to kiranas and neighbourhood outlets. It
also plans to set up exclusive stores for these brands. Also on cards are plans to distribute its FMCG
private label portfolio through the general trade.
The latest strategy shift follows the success the company saw after it sold its male apparel brand
John Miller through multi-brand outlets from last year. The group plans to team up with companies
who will be licensees of the brand for distribution in general trade. The Future Group plans to
complete the entire nationwide rollout in the next 12-18 months. The strategy is to first build
general trade distribution linkages for our top selling apparel brands like DJ&C and Bare, followed by
home adornment brand Dreamline and eventually the FMCG segment. These brands have been
selected since they already have a sizeable turnover and huge brand equity in the Future group
outlets. We will work closely with the licencee to grow the trade beyond the group, Future Brands
COO Atulit Saxena told ET.
Incidentally, Future Brands has the mandate to nurture and grow the groups top 20 private label
brands and sell them outside the groups retail ambit. For this, the company has entered into a
licensee partnership with another group company, Indus-League Clothing, for distribution of the John
Miller brand through general trade.
While DJ&C is already a Rs 100-crore brand, Bare recorded more than Rs 80 crore sales last year.
Dreamline, a brand co-created and endorsed by cine-star Hema Malini, had notched up Rs 75 crore
sales in 2008-09 and is targeting Rs 100 crore this year. The group also plans to extend these brands
into newer segments to catalyse the growth.
For instance, we plan to extend Dreamline into products like small appliances (toasters, sandwich
maker and juicers), gas chimneys, home lighting and modular kitchen. Similarly, John Miller can be
extended into liquor space with Whisky and men grooming products. DJ&C lends itself to biking
accessories and leather garments, while Bare into footwear, said Mr Saxena. Incidentally, the
Dreamline brand is growing at 26% and is one of its kind cross-category home adornment brands
with products across utensils, crockery, bed & bath linen, furniture and home decor. The brand is
available across all group formats, with Big Bazaar being the largest interface.