Local Markets
Direct Farm
Our Direct Farm program, launched in 2008, includes 14,000 small and medium-sized farmers and farm workers (5,200 women) in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. In 2013, 5,500 small and marginal fruit and vegetable farmers were trained. Direct Farm provides small farmers with a direct link to the retail supply chain and shared best practices related to water usage, pesticides and fertilizers build capacity. This generates high-quality, locally grown produce for our stores as well as other retailers, while the farmers reap the benefits of competitive prices, reduced risk and increased income.
Women’s Economic Empowerment
In alignment with our corporate Global Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative, we’re working to provide the skill development programs, professional services, training in farms and factories and more that’s necessary to promote opportunity. As an example, we successfully on-boarded four new women-owned businesses in 2013. These businesses supply a variety of products, including home decor, school stationary and Indian festival merchandise, such as Holi colours and Diwali candles.
These suppliers go through a structured on-boarding program. They’re exposed to our specific processes, quality standards, pricing, policies, packaging, compliance and more. In order to help suppliers in becoming an integral part of our business, we provide frequent buyer/vendor interaction and engage them in annual meetings and other communications. We also track their business performance and provide necessary support for product reengineering.
One way to make a difference
Our Training Centres across the country provide free retail training to underprivileged youth. In 2013, we trained more than 13,684 students, of whom we placed 5,266 in jobs. Approximately 4,625 of those trained in 2013 were women, of whom we placed more than 1,450 in jobs.
Trash to cash
Society for Child Development’s (SFCD) growth started with the company sourcing organic and herbal colors for all its Best Price Modern Wholesale stores to cater to the annual festival of colors of Holi. This undertaking expanded to sourcing bulk Diwali (Indian festival of lights) merchandise.
SFCD supplied Holi colors made from fresh flowers previously displayed in temples. These flowers are collected every morning from the temples, sorted and then turned into eco-friendly colors. In fact, the Department of Environment, Delhi Government, has extended its full support to the initiative by providing vans for collection of waste flowers.