In 2001, Santosh Didwaniya, the pride of the Didwaniya family, transformed a provision store established in 1979 into the modern retail supermarket known as Didwaniya Super Bazar. This expansive store, covering over two thousand square feet, serves as a comprehensive one-stop solution for the local community’s needs. Renowned for its high-quality food products, including spices, pulses, and a wide range of groceries, Didwaniya Super Bazar has a pan-India reach and delivers products internationally to countries such as the USA and Russia.
Khamgaon in Maharashtra is a town steeped in the ancient art of precious metals. Well-known for its thriving silver and gold market, every corner in Khemgaon tells a tale of craftsmanship passed down through generations. Here, silversmiths and goldsmiths weave magic with their skilled hands.
The town is also home to a popular local supermarket run by a retailer whose family migrated from Didwana, Rajasthan decades ago. In 2001, Santosh Didwaniya, the crowing jewel of Didwaniya family, took the initiative to launch Didwaniya Super Bazar, which is spread over two thousand square feet, and serves as a one-stop solution for catering to all the needs of the local community. The store is known for its quality food products like spices, pulses and other grocery products. The store has PAN India reach and also deliver products to overseas countries like USA and Russia.
How did the journey begin?
Before commencing the entrepreneurial journey, the family of Santosh Didwaniya operated a wholesale business, specializing in selling rice and grains. The store was named ‘Gangaram Premsukhdas’ that served the local populace, nurturing a deep bond with the community over generations. Santosh Didwaniya, the elder son of the Didwaniya family, would spend hours in the grocery shop, diligently honing his skills. Initially motivated by the pursuit of pocket money, his passion for the business gradually intensified to the point where he would forget how many hours he would spend in the shop.
After completing his graduation, Santosh decide to venture into independent business, so he opened a small provision store in 1979. This small shop in Khemgaon marked the beginning of the entrepreneurial journey for the owner.
Over time, Santosh shifted his focus towards entering the organized retail sector. Consequently,in 1995, he transformed his traditional shop into a modern 600-square-feet retail store knownas ‘Didwaniya Provision.’ The shop was quicklyembraced by the local residents and became a popular shopping destination. However, the store’s success was not solely due to Santosh’s determination and hard work; it also included the significant contributions from his wife Uma Didwaniya. While the children were away completing their studies, Uma took charge of the business to support Santosh. Over time, Santosh recognized the growth opportunities in Khamgaon.
Consequently, in 2001, he transitioned from his small retail shop to a 2,000-square-feet supermarket. The supermarket achieved its fair share of success just likethe provisional store. Ankit and Sonal Didwaniya, MBA graduates and children of Santosh, played a crucial in establishing the business.
Aditionally, Gaurav Didwaniya, the elder son of Santosh who pursued CA, also contributed to the family business after completing his studies. Overall,the success of Didwaniya Super Bazar highlights the family’s dedication, commitment, and unity, making their venture a triumph in the community.
Today, Didwaniya Super Bazar has become a central shopping destination for the people of Khamgaon, boasting an annual turnover of Rs.6 crore and a 10% annual sales growth. The store sees an average daily footfall of approximately 270 customers and offers an extensive range of products with 9,000 SKUs.
Sourcing the products and creating the brand identity
Initially, Didwaniya Super Bazar used to source its products from Akola, Jalgaon, and Nagpur as these cities boasted much stronger distribution networks compared to the shop’s district place in Buldhana.‘‘We concentrated on sourcing goods from beyond the village, often transporting large items ourselves, all while ensuring we met the demands of our customers,’’ recalls Santosh Didwaniya.
“What sets us apart from other shops,” he continues, “is not just our modern infrastructure and self-service concept, but also our philosophy of offering products at prices lesser than the MRP. This approach resonates with customers across all economic strata, fostering strong customer relationships.’’
Didwaniya Super Bazar is not just a contemporary store; it’s a destination where customers receive goods at affordable prices and nurture lasting bonds with the patrons.
Focus on quality and availability of products
But reasonable pricing does not mean that the products available in the supermarket have a degraded quality. The supermarket ensures that all goods meet high-quality standards while maintaining affordability. This balance between cost and quality has been a cornerstone of their success. ‘‘We believe in offering value to our customers by providing high-quality goods at affordable prices. Our commitment to quality assurance extends across all categories, whether fresh produce, packaged goods, or household essentials. By offering a diverse range of top-notch products at competitive prices, we strive to enhance the shopping experience and earn the loyalty of our valued customers,’’ assures Santosh.
Furthermore, the retailer also made it a priority to stock every item demanded by the customers, even if there was no existing distribution network for those products in the nearby region.
Sharing his personal experience in the arena, Ankit Didwaniya, younger son of Santosh Didwaniya and the Managing Director of Didwaniya Super Bazar, said, ‘‘When Kinder Joy was launched and highly promoted on TV, it wasn’t available anywhere in the city. At that time, I was pursuing Computer Science Engineering in Nagpur, and so I was residing there. My father instructed me to procure it from Nagpur, even though it wasn’t feasible to transport it conventionally. Despite the risk of spoilage, we personally carried it over 300 kilometers just to ensure the availability of the new product. This dedication to fulfilling customer demands, regardless of the challenges, underscores our commitment to customer satisfaction.’’
Challenges in the distribution
FMCG brands’ distribution has improved significantly since the inception of the store. As mentioned earlier, it was a challenging task to procure FMCG or any other well-known brand in the region. Even popular brands like Colgate weren’t readily available. Ankit recalls, ‘‘To procure FMCG products, my father had to travel 50 kilometers, a journey that took a minimum of two or two and a half hours at the time, compared to just 30 minutes nowdays.’’
Transportation was slow during the period, so Ankit and his brother Gaurav would often personally bring the products to their store, as relying on transport services meant uncertain delivery times. Praising his father’s undeterred determination to serve its customers, Ankit says, ‘‘My father’s dedication to his work was unparalleled. He went above and beyond to ensure product availability, reflecting his extraordinary passion and commitment. This dedication remains steadfast even today.’’
Giving another example of his father’s struggle and dedication towards his patrons, Ankit says, ‘‘My father sold the entire boxes of Bisleri at a 30% discount from the MRP just to meet demand. This strategy not only attracted customers but also fostered a sense of family within the community. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and going the extra mile to fulfill their needs, we’ve built lasting relationships that transcend mere transactions.’’
However, the situation has changed over time. With the advent of e-commerce and other online platforms, the distribution of products has become much more accessible in the region. Now, leading brands such as Unilever, PNG, Parle, Britannia, and Nestle are readily available, thanks to the improved availability facilitated by these platforms.
Today the retailer has a network of 240 suppliers, making the availability of products a much easier task. This robust supplier network helps in maintaining their inventory levels and enhancing their product portfolio ultimately contributing to the overall success and competitiveness of the business.
Despite the progress made, there still exists a gap between certain products and their availability in the region. This gap presents an opportunity for further improvement and refinement in the distribution network. Moving forward, it’s essential to address this disparity to ensure that a wider range of products becomes accessible to the residents of Buldhana.
By identifying and addressing the gaps in the distribution network, there’s an opportunity to elevate the overall shopping experience and enable retailers to cater to the diverse needs of the community more effectively. This could entail strengthening partnerships with suppliers, optimizing logistics channels, and leveraging technological advancements to streamline the distribution process. Through proactive measures and collaborative efforts, both retailers and brands can work together to bridge the existing gaps and ensure a more comprehensive availability of products in the future.
Leveraging the customer profile
Didwaniya Super Bazar has a broad customer base, encompassing individuals from various segments, including the middle class, and upper middle class, as well as women, children, and senior citizens. The store caters to the diverse needs and preferences of each of these segments, ensuring a comprehensive shopping experience for all patrons.
‘‘Our primary target segments consist of the middle class and upper-middle-class categories, reflecting the affluent nature of the locality where our shop is situated. Additionally, we attract a significant number of young customers due to the presence of three to four medical and engineering colleges nearby. Young girls and boys are frequent visitors, often making monthly purchases and returning for repeat shopping. Mothers and housewives form another important customer segment for us. They trust us for their regular shopping needs and prefer to purchase from our store repeatedly. Moreover, we have established a strong rapport with elderly customers, aged 60 and above, who exhibit unwavering loyalty towards our store. This trust is built over the years based on reliability and personalized service. As a result, customers consistently opt us to fulfill their shopping needs. In essence, our customer base is a diverse mix, comprising professionals, housewives, youngsters, and elderly individuals, each contributing to the vibrant tapestry of our clientele,’’ says Santosh
Unveiling the marketing strategies
In terms of marketing strategies, Didwaniya Super Bazar provides quality products to its customers at competitive rates, coupled with exceptional service to ensure their satisfaction. ‘‘We strongly believe that delivering quality products at affordable prices not only secures initial purchases but also fosters repeat business through customer loyalty,’’ says Ankit.
Santosh adds, ‘‘To achieve customer footfalls and repeated purchases, we have implemented a dynamic approach to our pricing and promotional strategies. We offer season-wise deals, festival-specific promotions, and daily specials, and keep a close eye on emerging trends in the market. By aligning our offers with the prevailing seasons and festivals, be it summer, winter, or monsoon, we tailor our promotions to match the preferences of our diverse customer base.’’
He further says, ‘‘Moreover, we celebrate all festivals with equal enthusiasm and inclusivity, recognizing and respecting the cultural diversity of our clientele. Whether it’s Diwali, Ganpati, Navratri, Janmashtami, Holi, Christmas, Ramzan, or any other significant festival, we extend special offers to all communities, ensuring that every customer feels valued and appreciated.’’
The retailer has introduced offers like Diwali Bumper Offer, New Year Offer, and Dhanya Mahotsav to attract customers. Apart from that, the retailer has rolled out a scheme called ‘‘Shopping Pay at Rs 999’’. Under this program, customers can make a Rs 999 purchase and subsequently can avail sugar at just ₹18 per kg, significantly lower than the standard market rate of Rs 42 per kg. This move prompted even our competitors to inquire how we manage to afford such low prices without incurring losses.’’
Following the success of the sugar campaign, the retailer also introduced a special Gauri Ganpati offer on oil for the festive season where the retailer sold diya oil for Rs 90 per kg as compared to MRP of Rs 150 for the complete festive month.
In addition to these marketing strategies, the retailer has leveraged online platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp to promote its supermarket. By unveiling new offers on these platforms, the retailer ensures wider accessibility and reach among the customers.
Building trust and credibility
Going forward, Ankit emphasized the long-term trust and credibility that his father has built with the customer. He says, “My father has built the trust and credibility with the customers over many years, and we understand and uphold this value. We always tell our employees: do not make any false commitments to the customer. Honor the commitments you make. If a customer receives a product, and even if it is of good quality they do not like it, we accept the return. Our priority is maintaining the trust and satisfaction of our customers.”
He further adds, “If a customer is not satisfied with a product, we would accept returns. For instance, I have accepted returns on FMCG products that had been opened by the customer. Customers have brought back open packets of chocolates worth ₹200-₹300, saying they didn’t like them. Even though I was unsure if the company would take these returns, I accepted them. I believe that the customer comes back because they trust in me first and the brand second.”
The way forward
Drawing the conversation to a close, Ankit unveils his future plans for the supermarket. He articulates his vision to transform the supermarket into a larger format store, branching out into multiple locations, and embracing the franchise model. He also expresses a keen interest in expanding its online presence.
“Our vision for the future is to build upon the foundation laid by my father and expand the supermarket,” says Ankit. “Our goal is to transition from our current size to a larger store format, and subsequently establish a number of stores at different locations of varying sizes. Also, we want to explore the franchise opportunities and make our presence felt in the online retail space.”
Ankit further emphasizes the family’s long-standing commitment to the business and their aspiration to elevate it into a distinguished retail brand. “Our family’s dedication, spanning several years, drives our ambition to transform our business into a well-known retail brand. Our supermarket is not just a business operating within our locality, but it is a destination in the hearts of our customers. We envision taking this brand beyond the boundaries of our current two-thousand-square-foot supermarkets. Drawing upon the wisdom inherited from our parents, we aspire to broaden our reach and influence, nurturing our legacy into something far more magnificent,” signs off Ankit.
