India has always been a country of two worlds, of boutiques and luxury cars that cater to the top 5%; and five-rupee biscuit packs and one-rupee shampoo sachets that cater to everyone else
A recent study by EY found that 79% of kirana stores in non-metros and 50% in metros saw new customers come in post-March
The EY study also noted that 20% of kirana stores are using online platforms to order their supplies, while 40% of stores state that they would like to partner with digital platforms to grow further
In the recent past, ecommerce has become the benchmark measure of innovation in retail. Empires are being built around the direct to customer value chains that e-tailers claim as theirs, in books, appliances, clothing, personal care and groceries.
At the same time, it is kirana stores that have traditionally serviced the daily needs of the Indian people in terms of food items and household essentials. The question now is how these kirana stores can co-exist with the ecommerce grocery…