The Maharashtra State Chemists and Distributors Alliance Limited (MSCDA Ltd), the state body of the All Indian Origin Chemists and Distributors Alliance Limited (AIOCD Ltd), is planning to launch 250 pharma chain retail outlets by networking its members across the state soon. The project comes as the primary step of AIOCD Ltd to set up retail outlets across the nation in the near future, to fight the fast growing organised chain retail pharmacies.
The chain retail outlets, comes as one of the revenue model for the AIOCD Ltd, will be established in three operational modes - the wellness model, franchisee model and the banner model. The company is planning to launch one wellness shop in a district through out the state, and the members who can facilitate shops with 5000 sq ft to 10000 sq ft area will be selected for management of the outlet, said J S Shinde, chairman, MSCDA Ltd.
Under the franchisee model, the company has selected its members with nearly 600 sq ft even as the banner of the new retail chain will be provided to the shops joining under the banner model of operation. The shops, which are already operational and run by MSCDA members, selected to join the chain will be facilitated by computer and software for better performance and the company will also provide mandatory continuous education for the pharmacists, he added.
The Maharashtra State Chemists and Druggists Association (MSCDA), the distributors association which floated MSCDA Ltd, is in the final stage of training the retail pharmacists for good pharmacy practices and customer relations management to compete with the organised retail chains. The company has also appointed two consultants to bring in professionalism to the retail chain and the brand name will be finalised soon. The company is planning to launch the retail chain at the end of October 2008.
"For the last six months, we have been conducting training programmes for pharmacists through nearly 15 pharmacy colleges in the state. As per the reports we have, the business of the retail shops where the pharmacists are trained through our programme has been gone up from 10 to 15 per cent within the time. This is part of our effort to restore confidence and technology qualification in our members to compete with the emerging challenges in pharmaceutical distribution," said Shinde. AIOCD Ltd will launch 100 chain retail pharmacies in the country from December 2008, he informed.
AIOCD Ltd has selected organised wholesaling, retailing and database sales as the major revenue source for its future operation. The company is also analysing opportunities to enter into import and export business of pharmaceutical products, network institutional business throughout the country and speciality products business as other revenue sources. The company is also planning to enter into exclusive distribution deals for selected products of some pharmaceutical majors offering incentives to the companies in sales, revealed Shinde.