Wazir In News

Wazir Advisors have been featured in various reputable publications, highlighting our expertise, innovation, and dedication to excellence. Browse through the latest updates and news coverage about our organization. Find and read news articles, press releases, and other media content that showcase our achievements, milestones, and contributions to the industry.

Decoding VMart’s Unlimited Move

24th July 2021

Harminder Sahni, Founder & MD of Wazir Advisors, points out that it is only the big boys such as Reliance Retail who have managed to create a pan-India operation. “It is a huge challenge and one has seen how Future Group too had to buy out Nilgiris and Heritage in the south. This is a time-consuming process and VMart has done the right thing,” he explains.

On the specific issue of phasing out the Unlimited brand, Sahni thinks it is the right thing to do. “Consumers are interested in the brands inside the stores and what the store is called does not really matter.”

Just Dial’s acquisition will help Reliance Retail tap into the small merchant ecosystem

17th July 2021

Harminder Sahni, founder and MD, Wazir Advisors said, “From Reliance’s perspective, it’s very clear that they are looking to grab a larger share of the digital ecosystem. Just Dial, from being yellow pages classifieds, has become a place to search for every need of the users.”

What’s cooking in India’s e-grocery market?

15th July 2021

“The acquisition of BigBasket is one of the smartest moves from the Tata group in a long time. It is one of the most attractive online businesses in the grocery space with strong sales and growth potential,” said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director, Wazir Advisors, a management consulting firm.

Jiomart, Future deal in focus as retail set to drive growth for RIL

24th June 2021

“The big trigger for retail will be any announcement around the merger with the Future Group,” said Harminder Sahni, Founder and Managing Director of Consultant Wazir Advisors. “The company is busy tying loose ends at the moment and will go all guns blazing in the c-commerce segment, once it is ready.”

KKR aquires stake in Vini for $625 million

22nd June 2021

“Despite the pandemic, consumer goods companies and brands have seen demand only grow. Most FMCG firms are doing well. The number of consumers is growing, and investors continue to bet on this trend,” said Harminder Sahni, Founder and MD, Wazir Advisors.

Online furniture retail sours

21th June 2021

“The online furniture market is expected to clock in 40% growth in the next five years. With local furniture stores moving online, independent of Amazon or Flipkart, we will see a few large showrooms of furniture, offering delivery across the country” said Harminder Sahni, founder and MD, Wazir Advisors.

Formalwear segment branches to work-from-home apparel for survival

8th June 2021

“Brands are expanding their online presence with the incorporation of 3D technology, and are innovating with spandex-comfort fabrics,” said Prashant Agarwal, co-founder and joint managing director, Wazir Advisors.

Men’s premium loungewear comes of age in India

18th May 2021

An April 2020 report by management consultants Wazir Advisors had predicted that loungewear will be one of the first categories to recover from the economic impact of the lockdown.

The Big Fight: Big Bazaar vs Bigbasket as supermarkets push home delivery amid lockdown

18th May 2021

“Deliveries have always been a part of grocery business at local kirana level, where the owner supplies several products to the customer over a phone call,” says Harminder Sahni, founder and MD of management consulting firm Wazir Advisor.

India Covid-19 crisis could seriously damage global economy

11th May 2021

Domestic clothing industry consumption and exports dropped 30% and 24%, respectively, in 2020, according to a report published by management consulting firm Wazir Advisors.

Is India ready for sustainable fashion brands?

6th May 2021

“The slow fashion trend is still niche and more prevalent in places like Europe. So fast-fashion brands are looking to tap the east” said Harminder Sahni, founder and MD of management consulting firm, Wazir Advisors.

Van Heusen to expand casual offerings as WFH gains steam

14th April 2021

“Due to extended work from home, “category rebalancing” is taking place, where consumers are shifting from formal work wear to work-from-home wear” said Pakhi Saxena, Practice Head, retail and consumer packaged goods, Wazir Advisors.

Why Byju’s is buying Aakash Educational Services

5th April 2021

“The edtech industry is one of those rare instances where consolidation has started to happen, and that too very soon, before the space has even fully matured,” says Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director, Wazir Advisors.

Big Bazaar set to offer 2-hour delivery

1st April 2021

“Given that people are seeking more deliveries rather than coming to stores, every retailer has to now extend home delivery offerings,” said Harminder Sahni, founder and MD, Wazir Advisors.

Consumer durables are back in business

29th March 2021

“With work from home continuing to be the norm in many sectors, replacement cycles for products like fans and ACs have reduced,” says Harminder Sahni, managing director, Wazir Advisors.

No thought for Food

14th March 2021

“Out of 22 parks that have become operational over the last 13 years, only one park has turned a profit.” said Ritwik Bahuguna,business director and an agribusiness consultant with Wazir Advisors.

Fine jewellery brands go ‘light’ to woo customers amid pandemic

9th March 2021

“Even for lightweight jewellery, consumers have to part with Rs 20,000-30,000 and hence, they are more likely to buy from a familiar brand as compared to newer entrants,” says Harminder Sahni, founder and MD, Wazir Advisors.

The arrival of the men’s premium loungewear era

5th March 2021

In April 2020, Wazir Advisors, management consulting firm, had predicted that loungewear will be one of the first categories to recover from the economic impact of the lockdown.

Will ABFRL’s designer label plan work?

3rd March 2021

“ABFRL’s deals with designers is a move on to capture the market and expand,” said Harminder Sahni, founder, Wazir Advisors.

How to Leverage Myntra to expand in India

25th February 2021

“Myntra has created private labels with an intent to create brands of its own, which are much more sophisticated than private labels,” said Harminder Sahni, MD of Wazir Advisors, management consulting firm.

ABFRL announces strategic partnership with designer Tarun Tahiliani

24th February 2021

Wazir Advisors acted as an exclusive advisor to Tarun Tahiliani in the strategic partnership with ABFRL.

Reckitt Benckiser leads funding round in grooming brand Bombay Shaving Co

28th January 2021

“Large mass-market brands globally have been buying out small, niche firms to reduce direct-to-consumer brands eating into their share,” said Harminder Sahni, MD of consultancy Wazir Advisors.

Product Development, Digitalization, Niche products & world class R&D institutions way forward to reposition India in Global Textile value chain: Textile Industry Experts

17th January 2021

“India needs to reposition itself through anchor led model, which will involve MSME’s to develop scale. Complete digitization of supply chain will make Indian companies more competitive and give services as per buyers’ need” said Prashant Agarwal, Jt. MD, Wazir Advisors.

Supermarkets rejig business model for last-mile delivery

30th December 2020

“Supermarkets need to overcome the internal inertia to adopt the new channel and deliver out of their stores” said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director, Wazir Advisors.

Has Covid-19 changed shopping forever?

9th December, 2020

“Brand loyalty is being replaced by brand consciousness. Customers will go for the brand with the best value.” Said Harminder Sahni, founder, and managing director, Wazir Advisors.

Flipkart fashions new front in Amazon fight

26th October, 2020

“Retail companies (like ABFRL) need the capital right now, while investors like Walmart are doing it more for strategic reasons,” said Harminder Sahni, founder and MD, Wazir Advisors.

The reality behind Reliance’s retail rush

28th September, 2020

“It will be very difficult for Reliance to make a big dent in the market, as Flipkart and Amazon are no pushovers.” said Harminder Sahni, Managing Director, Wazir Advisors, a Management Consultancy.

Retailers Move To WhatsApp Despite Relaxed Lockdown Rules In A Bid To Drive Quasi-Online Sales

26th September 2020

“The post-Covid era will drive an acceleration of the hyperlocal model for the lifestyle fashion segment,” said Pakhi Saxena, Practice Head, Retail and CPG, Wazir Advisors.

Can PM FME scheme revolutionise India’s micro food-processing industry?

6th September, 2020

“The scheme is unique in the sense that in addition to providing grant assistance, it also focuses on skilling, brand building, along with credit and marketing assistance to micro-enterprises. It is first of its kind and is a holistic aimed exclusively for this segment.” said Ritwik Bahuguna, Partner, Wazir Advisors, a business consulting and advisory firm.

Reliance-Future group deal pushes Kishore Biyani, kin out of retail space for 15 years: Report

3rd September, 2020

“Kishore Biyani is not just a retailer – he is a businessman.” said Harminder Sahni, founder of Wazir Advisors, a management consultancy.

Reliance Future-proofs retail arm as it seeks to woo investors

31st August, 2020

“Reliance has essentially removed one competitor from the market and added Future’s loyal customer base to its own portfolio,” said Harminder Sahni, founder of Wazir Advisors, a management consultancy.

Lulu Group mulls possible IPL sponsorship tie-up

16th August, 2020

“It can actually bring double-benefit to Lulu Group in terms of brand building both in UAE and in India, where it has presence in many areas but not as well known yet,” said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director of Wazir Advisors, a leading Indian management consultancy.

Overdose of immunity-related food products a marketing gimmick in COVID times

6th August, 2020

It is all marketing. People who have bigger marketing budgets are just making more noise about immunity related food products, says Harminder Sahni, MD, Wazir Advisors, a management consulting firm.

 

Wazir Advisors Announces The Launch Of Agriculture, Dairy, And Food Processing (ADFP) Vertical

27th July 2020

“We believe that our team’s sectoral expertise combined with our comprehensive offering – sourcing, manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, and retail – will be a differentiating key,” said Harminder Sahni, Founder and Managing Director, of Wazir Advisors.

Fashion and apparel companies still hurting

8th July, 2020

Brands are taking several measures to woo consumers with safety measures, but these would only lift demand a little, said Harminder Sahni, founder and MD of Wazir Advisors.

India apparel exporters face worker shortages as orders resume

15th June, 2020

Shipping garments by air to make up for time caused by worker shortages can reduce margins by half and increase cost of garment by 5-10%, according to Harminder Sahni, MD, Management Consulting Firm, Wazir Advisors.

Retailers turn to WhatsApp bookings, home deliveries to revive demand

15th June, 2020

“The post-Covid era will drive acceleration of the hyperlocal model for the lifestyle fashion segment,” said Pakhi Saxena, Head, retail and CPG, Wazir Advisors.

Zara to continue India expansion

11th June, 2020

“Zara appeals to the country’s fashion aspirants and has helped plug the supply gap in casual clothing,” said Pakhi Saxena, Head, retail and CPG, Wazir Advisors.

India’s apparel exports declined 35% in March 2020: CMAI

10th June, 2020

Apparel imports in March 2020 stood at $57 million, showing a decrease of 34 per cent from that of March 2019 and a decrease of 30 per cent from that of February 2020, as stated by Wazir Advisors.

Safety measures paramount to kick-start apparel retail operations: Survey

8th June, 2020

“Consumers are eager to visit stores, but highly apprehensive about safety issues. Consumers are expected to gauge the safety measures deployed before initiating shopping again, across any channel. With lockdown extensions, the cautious index tends to increase”, said Harminder Sahni, Founder, Wazir Advisors.

How COVID-19 is influencing consumer behaviour

4th June, 2020

“Consumers may hesitate to go shopping for apparel even after stores open after the lockdown. As of now, sales are zero but even when the partial opening will start, apparel won’t be the first category to be on the shopping list,” said Harminder Sahni, Founder and Managing Director, of Wazir Advisors.

COVID-19: The Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global fashion retail

19th May, 2020

Wazir Advisors has highlighted in their latest report that there will be a drop in apparel consumption in the otherwise large fashion markets of the world, the USA and EU, by 40 and 45 percent, accounting to about US$ 300 billion.

EU & US apparel consumption to reduce by $300 bn: Wazir

12th April, 2020

Based on projection that lockdown may last till mid-July, total apparel consumption in EU and US is likely to reduce by $300 billion, according to latest report by Wazir Advisors.

Opportunity for India post-Covid-19: Wazir Advisors

10th April, 2020

India can utilise this opportunity and present itself as a credible alternate to increase its textile and apparel exports share, says a latest report by business management consultants Wazir Advisors.

How the Amazon and Flipkart private labels affect other sellers on the e-commerce platforms

24th February 2020

Retail  and Management consultancy, Wazir Advisors’ Co-founder Harminder Sahni said every retailer internationally tends to get into private labels to increase gross margins.

Kirana-Tech: The Next Stop In India’s Tech Journey

21st February, 2020

Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director, Wazir Advisors, said that a slow transformation is expected in the current kirana store market despite the attention this segment is getting.

Resilient Tirupur brainstorms current opportunities

12th February, 2020

Speaking at the event Surinder Jain, business director at Wazir Advisors, emphasised on the need to increase India’s share of exports to the US and EU with the help of Virtual Integration model.

Indian textile sector needs large units, new tech: report

27th January, 2020

Investment in large-scale facilities, new technologies and manufacturing excellence are the way forward for the Indian textile industry, according to the report ‘Winning in Disruptive Times’ launched by Wazir Advisors and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Future Group scales down e-commerce operations, fires employees

19th January, 2020

When a traditional retailer like Future Group starts investing in e-commerce, the company should be sure of how deeply they want to integrate technology into their units” said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director of Wazir Advisors, a leading Indian retail management consultancy firm.

India’s Reliance launches e-commerce ops to take on Amazon, Walmart

2nd January 2020

“Competition is with Amazon and Walmart. Both are masters of their game and also have deep pockets,” said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director of Wazir Advisors, a leading Indian retail management consultancy firm.

Bombay Shirt Company raises $8mn from Lightbox

13th December, 2019

The entire apparel market is projected to touch $200 billion by 2025 from around $45 billion in 2014, according to a study by consulting firm Wazir Advisors.

Why do millennials trust Airtel

13th December, 2019

“Airtel has enjoyed leadership position over the years. It has a strong and loyal customer base that has stuck with it for a long time, through various ups and downs,” says Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director of Wazir Advisors, a consulting firm.

Wipro Consumer buys South Africa’s CanwayWipro Consumer buys South Africa’s Canway

3rd December, 2019

“For fast-moving consumer goods companies, Africa has always been on their radar for a while now.” said Harminder Sahni, managing director at Wazir Advisors.

Future of robotics in fashion retail

27th November, 2019

“In the near future, everything has the potential of coming under robotics umbrella.” says Baqar Iftikhar Naqvi, Business Director – Retail and Consumer Products, Wazir Advisors.

Rent It Bae buys fashion rental startup Flyrobe

27th November, 2019

“With rising penetration of internet, increasing ease of use of online shopping, and increasing allure of millennials towards high-end fashion clothing without owning expensive assets, there is lot of growth potential in this segment,” said Sanjay Arora, business director of consultancy firm Wazir Advisors.

One in three Indian shoppers ready to queue up overnight for Black Friday bargains

22nd November, 2019

“Third and Fourth quarter tend to perform better than the first two” said Prashant Agarwal, Joint Managing Director of Wazir Advisors, a leading apparel and retail consulting firm

Apparel industry expects uptick in exports in last two quarters

7th November, 2019

“Third and Fourth quarter tend to perform better than the first two” said Prashant Agarwal, Joint Managing Director of Wazir Advisors, a leading apparel and retail consulting firm.

Swiggy eyes 100 mn customers using the app over 15 times a month in 10-15 years

18th Oct 2019

“With the “Make in India” initiative, a lot of young people will go to the manufacturing industry. We are set to see expensive labour force in future, which means companies will have to spend more on their on-ground staff.” said Harminder Sahni, founder, and managing director, Wazir Advisors, a retail consulting firm.

Apparel retailers’ Q2 margins to remain weak on high discounts, poor demand

9th Oct 2019

An analysis by Wazir Advisors showed profit margins of Aditya Birla Fashions & Lifestyle stood at 11.5 per cent for the quarter between April and June this year as compared to 4.1 per cent in the comparable period last year.

Companies optimistic despite consumption slowdown: It’s not all turbulence for luxury goods market

7th Oct 2019

Harminder Sahni, founder, Wazir Advisors says, “We somehow have this misplaced notion that the government can help in everything. But luxury brands and retailers haven’t done much to grow their customer base and that is why the slow down hit them badly….”

Robots In Retail: A futuristic dream come true

1st Oct 2019

“Retailers who have made provision of large budgets in order to take robotics innovation in-house, are expected to see real world benefits in near future.” says Baqar Iftikhar Naqvi, Business Director – Retail and Consumer Products, Wazir Advisors.

Flipkart and Amazon sales beat slowdown blues to lift consumer sentiment

1st Oct 2019

The Wazir Textile Index (WTI) encompasses the highlights of the cumulative financial performance of the top Indian textile companies with respect to the market performance of the Indian textile sector for Q1 FY20.

Textile Index grows marginally for Q1 FY20

24th Sept 2019

The Wazir Textile Index (WTI) encompasses the highlights of the cumulative financial performance of the top Indian textile companies with respect to the market performance of the Indian textile sector for Q1 FY20.

Size stumps sales of apparel online

9th Sept 2019

“The no-questions asked returns are a necessary evil for e-commerce companies…” said retail expert and founder of Wazir Advisors, Harminder Sahni

Power of I 2019 Ninja Power

29th Aug 2019

“In the traditional supply chain, there are a lot of leakages in terms of rent and commission seeking costs. That’s where these start-ups are making a difference.” Harminder Sahni, founder & MD, Wazir Advisors

Denim Talks highlights global fashion brand perspectives

21st Aug 2019

The forum saw the unveiling of a denim industry report by its Knowledge Partner – Wazir Advisors which indicated “In five years, denim consumption will almost double.

Denim wrapped car at Gartex Texprocess India 2019 to highlight India’s position as the world’s second-largest producer of denim fabric

6th Aug 2019

The conference in association with Denim Manufacturers Association (DMA) has received strong support from R Elan and Wazir Advisors.

Customised apparel brand Alma Mater Store raises $200K from Wazir Advisors’ MD

30th July 2019

Customisation is the future of every consumer business and online is the channel’s future says Harminder Sahni, Managing Director, Wazir Advisors who invested in Alma Mater.

Aditya Birla Fashion And Retail Ltd (ABFRL) To Acquire 51% Stake In Designers Shantanu & Nikhil’s Apparel Brand Finesse For Around Rs 60 Crore

19th July 2019

Wazir Advisors acted as an exclusive advisor to Shantanu & Nikhil in the deal said, ” Our role is to create customised solutions for founders, shareholders and/or management teams to maximise value as well as achieve business goals. This transaction marks yet another milestone in our singular commitment to our clients in the consumer products and retail space.”

Aditya Birla Fashion to buy 51% stake in bespoke apparel brand Shantanu & Nikhil

16th July 2019

Wazir Advisors acted as the sole adviser to Shantanu & Nikhil on the transaction.

Malls roll out the red carpet for Uniqlo as the Japanese Fashion Giant takes Zara, H&M head on

4th July 2019

“Uniqlo knows India is a long term market and they are here to stay” says Harminder Sahni, founder, Wazir Advisors.

Branded apparel sales up 5-10% in April-June quarter on aspirational demand

4th July 2019

Analysis conducted by Wazir Advisors shows a majority of branded apparel makers including Aditya Birla Fashion & Lifestyle, Future Lifestyle Fashions and Shoppers Stop have reported a growth in operating profit margins during FY2019 over FY2018.

Homeward Bound

18th June, 2019

An analysis of global home textiles trade by Wazir Advisors found that the global trade stood at $79.5 billion in 2017, growing at a CAGR of 8% for the last ten years.

DMart, one of the most resilient offline retailers, is adapting quickly to survive an online onslaught.

4th June 2019

Avenue Supermarts’ strategy since day one was to develop state-by-state and city-by-city. That’s why their numbers look good, and they are valued so highly, says Harminder Sahni, founder of Wazir Advisors.

Turning Tablez: Adeeb Ahamed

3rd June 2019

It would make better sense for retail companies to have limited offline stores and more online operations, according to Harminder Sahni, managing director of Wazir Advisors, a business management consultancy.

5 ways how Reliance threatens to dethrone Amazon, Walmart’s Flipkart in $27 billion e-retail market

21st May 2019

Reliance Retail started in 2005, didn’t report profit till 2015,” Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director at consulting firm Wazir Advisors had told …

India’s apparel exports to UAE decline 33% on higher import duty

17th May 2019

“Data from global consultancy firm Wazir Advisors suggests India’s cumulative apparel exports to the UAE declined by a steep 33 per cent to $1.78 billion from…

Tax breaks for India garment exporters should boost global orders

15th May, 2019

But challenges remain as India is not a market leader in any garment category, according to Sanjay Arora, business director at consultancy firm Wazir Advisors.

Reliance Retail, Future Group among others in race for Pepe India

10th May, 2019

Retail consultancy Wazir Advisors estimates India’s fashion and lifestyle market has ballooned 10 times to be a Rs 5 lakh crore annual business at present from …

Myntra to offer more discounts on promise of ‘no return’

Apr 25 2019

… to it, said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director of Wazir Advisors, a consulting firm which tracks the retail industry in India

Myntra will offer you extra discount if you promise this

Apr 25 2019

… to it, said Harminder Sahni, founder and managing director of Wazir Advisors, a consulting firm which tracks the retail industry in India.

Will Ferns N Petals’ diversification into cafes and premium water pay off?

Apr 14 2019

According to Harminder Sahni, founder & MD, Wazir Advisors, QSR and water are totally unrelated categories for the company. “It is alright as …

Branded apparel makers post steady profit growth in December quarter

Apr 6 2019

Data compiled by the global consultancy, Wazir Advisors, showed that Aditya Birla Fashion & Lifestyle reported a 2.2 per cent jump in earnings …

Metro Cash & Carry to give urban street hawkers a formal push

Apr 3 2019

“In India, the wholesale model should be credit-and-delivery rather than cash-and-carry,” said Harminder Sahni, Managing Director at Wazir Advisors.

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