LABEL December 2013 | Page 9

LABEL Issue III A glimpse at Tata-Tesco JV In the year 2008 when recession was at its peak, Tesco PLC the number one company in retail services in UK, announced its entry into the Indian retail space by having a joint venture with Trent, the retail arm of the Tata Group. The venture was in the cash and carry segment. The initial investment in the venture was 60 million pounds which also involved the sharing of expertise as well as experience among the two companies. Infrastructure and supply chain has always acted as a hindrance in the growth of retail sector in India. Tesco joining hands with Tata was the first step towards removing this hindrance. The high brand equity of the Tata Group and its alliance with Tesco was clearly visible when its retail chain Star Bazaar earned the respect for its impeccable supply chain dealing with a plethora of retail products. The association of these two giants started at the back end and later on over the years we see that, the Tesco section at any of the Star Bazaars is a highlight of the entire store. Tesco products do not only assure of the good quality but they also unde