The founder of DIY retailer “Starik Khottabych” and the former co-owner of DIY retailer OBI Igor Sosin announced that he launches a new format of food retail with a dining area named as “Food Café”. His business partner Alexander Kolobov, the owner of the restaurant group “Chocolatnitsa" mentioned about it to “Kommersant”.
According to a source familiar with the plans for “Food Café”, this company was created to develop a network of food retail with a cafe area in the middle price segment. In 2018, the project needs about $5 millions that will be invested in the opening of the first five stores and a kitchen factory.
The first store will be opened in July-August 2018, about 200 sq m. The concept of the retailer will be on fresh and ultra fresh products. By the end of 2019, it is planned to open 100 stores, in the next three years - 500.
Igor Sosin already had experience working in food retail. In the fall of 2017, he left the Fresh Market 77 project, where he owned 33.33%. Sosin said that he was going to concentrate his efforts on other projects.
Development of a similar concept exists abroad, for example, there are Wawa and Sheetz in the USA. However, Russia has not yet developed the habit of buying ready-made food, the expert believes. The main competitor for the retailer of ready-to-eat food in stores is, first of all, fast food.
According to analysts, the total amount of expenses for the first stage of the retailer may amount to 1 billion rubles. The concept, which combines a cafe and a store, forms the risks associated with the ability to provide traffic targets. And at the first stage, to attract customers, the retailer will have to conduct an aggressive pricing policy. The profitability of such establishments is doubtful, the expert summed up.
Source: sostav.ru
