“India’s Economy Ready for Cash & Carry Revolution,” says TICA Chief at Launch of B2B Venture with Expo Bazaar

Greater Noida, 16th Oct – Expo Bazaar, in collaboration with TICA, has launched India’s first B2B cash & carry venture for home products and lifestyle. The venture aims to revolutionize the business-to-business (B2B) retail landscape in India, offering small retailers and professionals access to a wide range of products under one roof.

Speaking at the launch event, Martijn Cliteur, Managing Director of TICA, outlined the vision and strategy behind the venture. He explained that the cash & carry model functions as a marketplace that brings demand and supply together. The model takes care of everything businesses need to attract new clients and focuses heavily on delivering results for the participants.

“We are bringing a model similar to what we have successfully established in Europe,” Cliteur stated. “Our large stores in Europe feature over 300 to 400 different brands, all housed under one roof. These stores typically span about 20,000 square meters, or around 200,000 square feet, and offer customers access to a million different products. It takes almost an entire day to explore everything.”

The cash & carry venture is designed for B2B customers, including small retailers, end users, and professionals. Cliteur emphasized that product offerings will be continuously reviewed to ensure they meet the demands of the customers. “If a product isn’t selling well, we ask the owner to replace it with something else. Our goal is to ensure the customer always finds products they want to purchase.”

Global Perspective and India’s Market Potential

Cliteur also drew parallels between the European and Indian markets, noting that Europe once produced a wide variety of goods. However, by the mid-1990s, much of that production shifted to China and India, which led to a decline in large exhibitions in Europe. “We are essentially a permanent exhibition,” he said, describing how TICA had managed to thrive even in a post-manufacturing Europe.

India, with its rapidly developing economy and growing consumer base, represents a huge opportunity for the cash & carry model. “Even if we focus solely on the Indian market, the potential is massive. The segment of the population that can afford these products is larger than the total market in Europe,” Cliteur explained.

However, Cliteur acknowledged the importance of understanding local nuances. “As Europeans, we lack the cultural insights necessary to navigate the Indian market. That’s why we partnered with Expo Bazaar, who bring their local expertise. Together, we’re creating a formula that works both in Europe and India.”

Future Plans for Expansion

The current venture is seen as a pilot project. According to Cliteur, TICA and Expo Bazaar will monitor the progress for the next six months to gather sufficient data. “Once we have enough data, we plan to expand to a space of 20,000 square meters, which is the ideal size for our model. This will be achievable within the next two years,” he added.

If the venture proves successful, the partners aim to expand to other major Indian cities, with New Delhi as the starting point. “New Delhi is the ideal location to launch new concepts because people here are open to innovation,” Cliteur noted. “If everything goes according to plan, we could see five to ten major cash & carry outlets across India within the next five to ten years.”

The launch of this B2B cash & carry venture is expected to bring significant changes to the home products and lifestyle sector, providing Indian retailers with access to a diverse range of products in a convenient, one-stop format.