Max Hypermarkets has entered into a franchise agreement with the France-based Groupe Auchan and plans to open about 15 stores every year.

Max Hypermarkets Managing Director Viney Singh told Business Line that all the existing and future hypermarkets will rebranded as Auchan. Max earlier had a similar arrangement with Holland-based Spar.

He said Max Hypermarkets, which is part of the Landmark Group, expects to increase its turnover 40 per cent to Rs 700 crore this fiscal.

Singh said Auchan will help Max strengthen business and “help us bring best practices into our operations in India”.

Groupe Auchan Director of International Development and Partnerships Thierry Martin ruled out any plans to enter the Indian market on its own, now that FDI in retail has been opened up. “We have been looking for a long time to enter the Indian market. We got the opportunity with Max,” he said. The group’s priority would be to implement the franchisee contract, he added.

Singh said the priority will be to go through the transition first and focus on the rebranding exercise. He said the look and feel of the hypermarkets will be quite different from the earlier format. It will be more customer-friendly and easier to navigate through.

> giriprakash.k@thehindu.co.in