New age fuel stations turn micro malls

Kolkata, Jan 2 (UNI) From Teddy bear to diamond jewellery -- you can buy anything you like, eat, service your car and fill up fuel as well and that too under one roof. This is new age one-stop-shopping zones cum fuel stations.

Fuel stations operated by companies like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) are increasingly looking at co-branding and space-sharing to boost revenues.

The main objective of offering one-stop-shopping experience for customers who regularly visit the fuelling stations.

Indian Oil Corporation has signed an agreement with Kishore Biyani's Future Group to set up smaller-formats of Big Bazaar stores in their petrol pumps.

''Under this agreement, wherever the Future Group sets up new malls, IOC could be offered space to set up a petrol pump. Likewise, whenever, we set up a new petrol pump in the country, we will offer space to the Future Group to perhaps set up a Big Bazaar food court or its apparel store or build 2-3-storied smaller-format mall at IOC petrol pumps,'' IOC Director-Marketing G C Daga said.

The Future Group and IOC's collaborative presence would initially come up in the outskirts as big mall developers hardly find readily available space in the city.

IOC has also tied-up with the Ansal group, where IOC could be offered space for building fuel stations wherever the group builds buildings or malls.

''This kind of collaboration is especially helpful for people who are pressed for time. If daily essentials are available under one roof, not only they are convenient for the consumers but there is a good business opportunity for companies as revenues automatically go up,'' said N Srikumar, general manager, corporate communication and branding of IOC.

Recently, HPCL and Gitanjali Gems Limited signed an agreement on co-branding to boost revenues.

As the first step in this alliance, Gitanjali Gems has set up an exclusive outlet for its Sangini brand at an HPCL petrol pump in Kolkata. Elaborating the opportunity, K S Rekhi, chief regional manager for retail at HPCL, claimed, ''Every second HPCL customer is a Sangini diamonds customer.'' HPCL petrol pumps also accommodate other brands like Cafe Coffee Day, Baskin Robbins, Subway, Crossword, ICICI credit cards, etc., at select locations.

HPCL fuel pumps in western and southern India also accommodate McDonalds. HPCL too, is expecting sales to grow by 30 per cent.

UNI