| Shree Warana Vibhag Sahakari Grahak Mandal Ltd., Warananagar (Warana Co-operative Bazaar) |
Warana Bazar, the first consumer Co-operative store was founded in the year 1976 and started functioning on 2nd April 1978. Warana Bazaar has been accepted as a model stores by all concerned. It has proved to be a successful store in the country. The success of Warana Bazaar has inspired the emergence of many more co-operative stores in different parts of Maharashtra, Goa and other States in the country.
In the era of globalized economy too, Warana Bazaar is achieving heights of success with yearly turnover of Rs. 132 cores, shouldered by 610 employees and Member’s strength of 24000 out of them 80% are women members which is the special feature of this unit. Warana Bazaar has 2 big department stores and 55 branches & 3 franchise. Daily turnover of warana bazaar is more than Rs. 35 lakhs and the society is in surplus since beginning.
This Consumer Co-operative has proved to be a grand success because of several innovative ideas put into action. Their dominance is reflected in the Board of Directors and also in the Staff. This co-operative makes consumers aware in the matter of spurious goods. They get goods cheaper at the Warana Bazaar than anywhere else. With the advent of the mall culture, the consumer co-operatives in the metropolitan areas are crumbling down while Warana Bazaar is growing up from strength to strength. In the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa, the Warana Bazaar is taken as the model consumer co-operative. The consumer co-operative movement in these States gets active help from the Warana Bazaar. A notable feature of the Warana Bazaar is that it felicitates the mothers in the vicinity of Warananagar who give birth to a girl child. This is a humble effort to arrest the dwindling sex ratio.
This is the largest bazaar in Warana with an annual turnover of $30 million(approximately Rs 132 corers). It has two department stores in Warananagar and Wadgaon in addition to 55 retail outlets in the 101 villages spread across Kolhapur and Sangli. Managing the flow of goods like bazaar purchases directly from various factories requires a reliable communications network to book the orders and follow up through e-mail. Daily statistics from each of these retail
outlets is also required by the management.