French retail giant Carrefour is making a comeback in India after a decade, through a franchise partnership with Dubai-based retail conglomerate Apparel Group. Carrefour, which operates over 14,000 stores across 40 countries, initially entered the Indian market in 2010 but exited in 2014 due to business challenges and the inability to secure a partner for multi-brand retail expansion.
Now, through its partnership with Apparel Group, a global retailer with over 2,300 stores across the Gulf, India, and other markets, Carrefour plans to launch its exclusive brands in North India, with the first stores opening in the NCR region by 2025. The partnership aims for a nationwide expansion in a variety of retail formats to adapt to the dynamic Indian market.
Nilesh Ved, Chairman of Apparel Group, stated that this collaboration strengthens their position in the Indian food retail market. Patrick Lasfargues, Carrefour’s Executive Director of International Partnerships, emphasized that India is a cornerstone of their global expansion strategy, which aims to enter over 10 new countries by 2026.
Carrefour, the world’s leading food retailer, reported €94.1 billion in sales in 2023 and employs over 300,000 people globally.
