Acknowledgement

The success of this report depends on the contribution of number of people specially my group
members who have shared their thoughtful guidance and suggestions to complete this report.
First, we express our sincere gratitude to our honorable course teacher Sajeeb Saha for his
valuable contribution to the preparation of this report. He has been gracious enough to spare time
out from his busy schedule for giving us all the necessary assistance throughout the entire period
of the semester and the report writing time. Without his help this report might not have been a
comprehensive one. We would like to give special thanks to Mr. Harunur Rashid, Head of
finance & accounts of Agora for giving us time from their very busy office work to discuss the
things & have guided us by giving useful suggestions and providing us data and relevant
information for completing this report. We would also like to thank Mr. Bajan saha, accounts
manager of Agora for giving us some important information about the official procedure and
inspiration techniques of Agora to complete this report. They shared their practical experiences
and talk about their loyalty and commitment towards the organization All of our group members
supported each other, throughout the making of this report and completing it successfully. We
have done some group discussions, where we shared each others views on the different issues to
complete this report.

Executive Summary
Agora is the largest retail superstore in Bangladesh. Agoras interior is similar to most
supermarkets in design and layout due to trends in marketing. It produce tends to be near the
entrance of the store. Various kinds of products and services are sold (at least 2500 products and
services). Milk, bread, and other essential items are located in the rear and other out of the way
places. This is purposely done to ensure maximum time spent in the store, strolling past other
items and capitalizing on impulse buying. The front of the store or Front-End is where one might
find point of sale machines or cash registers. Agora has plans to implement self-checkout devices
in their stores in an attempt to reduce labor costs as well as bringing complete customer
satisfaction. Understanding the historical context from which some of today's organizational
structures have developed helps to explain why some structures is the way they are but Agora
using a structured which is more horizontally capitalizing on the innovativeness of their
employees. Agora looked at closely especially between the employees and suppliers so that it
becomes one of give, take, and trust and not so one sided. Because of this unique management
process they have become the leading superstore in the Bangladesh. Agora formula for success
simply put is their relationship with customers, employees, and technology that assists in
forming relationships with their suppliers; places Agora as the top discount retailer, historydevelopment, and Growth Sam Agora to become the top discount retailer. Agora opened the first
outlet in Dhanmondi in 2000. And see what the company could do to improve. Agora needs to
do research on the locations that it moves to. The customs and the people need to be thoroughly
looked into so a new store opens as smoothly as possible. Meeting could be held with business
owners and locals to answer in questions or concerns. Relationships need to be looked at closely
especially between the employees and suppliers so that it becomes one of give, take, and trust
and not so one sided.

Introduction
City life is changing day by day. People are experiencing more and more changes and
developments. People from diverse walks of life are also settling themselves with the growing
pace. For the marketer, it has become a great opportunity to understand the actual needs and
wants of the population and while providing them with the commodities, the service industries
are also going through tremendous changes. The Chain Superstores are now a growing
phenomenon in Dhaka city. As the customers are increasingly becoming more aware of the
conveniences and their own lifestyles, they are in many cases preferring to go to a Chain
Superstore for their everyday shopping rather than to small departmental stores around.
In Bangladesh, now a days super market is a emerging, drastically boomed and very potential
sector as well as popular choice of people for buying their daily necessary goods. A successful
super market not only depends on how it serves its customers other than its competitors but also
how it supply chain strongly and work effectively and efficiently. A typical supply chain refers
the variety of stages. These supply chain stages include customers, retailers, wholesalers or
distributors, manufactures and component of raw materials suppliers.
Agora the brand name of Rahimafrooz Group is the first super shop chain in our country
launched in 2000. The mission was to fulfill the everyday shopping needs of the urban peoples
through fair price, right assortment, and best quality. The success was immediate as there was a
demand for such business in the local market. And over time the number of outlets increased and
currently there are nine outlets at Dhaka and one outlet in Chittagong. Many people thought that
the name of the company is Agora. But actually, Agora is just the brand name. Agora is a Greek
word, which means a marketplace where the people would meet together and talk. Company
thought the environment at Agora should be nice and clean so that people will not only shop
there but also want to stay and meet with other peoples there. And so they named the shops
Agora. Their logo has a very interesting appeal and it contains the benefits being offered to the
customers. The name is written in green color which is the color of freshness. A woman
presumably a homemaker has happily finished all her shopping from under one roof is seen too.
The statement says everyday quality shopping. It is very well thought out and gives a summary
of what Agora is all about.

Objective of the report

The main objective of the report is to find out the supply chain management system of Agora.
Our honorable course teacher assigns us to prepare this report so that in the job market we can
perform effectively and efficiently and also enlighten the goodwill of our university as well as
our teachers. Other objectives of this report are:
To know the supply chain of supermarket.
To understand the difference between the traditional markets supply chain and
supermarkets supply chain.
To explore the relation of shopping to the supermarket of residential area & nonresidential area based on gender, income & age.
To gather practical knowledge of supply chain management.
To explore the variation between male and female customer in residential & nonresidential area.

Sources of Data Collection

Primary: The primary information is gathered through informal interviews of the employees
working over there under management level, their salesman who are directly involved with
selling product and also observation while physically visiting the office premises.
Secondary: Secondary sources had also used to collect information. Secondary sources include:
Features and articles published in newspapers and other journals
Visiting websites of Agora super store.

Limitation of this report

Employees of Agora are usually busy with their daily work and activities, so it is quite
impossible sometime to get time from them for getting information about our report.
Sometimes the authority does not provide their internal information which is very
difficult to collect from any other sources.
Our group members were so busy because they had to make 2 or 3 reports. Thats why it
was quite difficult to regroup and group study for making report.
We did not have any proper financial support and limitation of time is also a barrier for
making this report.
During the time of survey, the authority of Agoras some outlet show negative attitude in
fear of losing their customer.
In the website, information about Agora is not sufficient. 100% accurate supply chain of
Agora we could not collect.

An Overview of Agora
About Agora:
Bangladesh entered the supermarket era on August 24, 2001 with Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd.
launching Agora, a retail chain superstore in Bangladesh, introducing a new way to shop. The
company has already opened four outlets Rifles Square, Gulshan Avenue, Maghbazar and
Mirpur Zoo Road in Dhaka and many more are in progress in Chittagong and other cities of the
country. The superstores are open from 9 am to 8 pm every day. Rush of customers is
experienced in the morning and evening. Most of the employees of Agora are young and welleducated, some with Masters and MBA degrees. Agora superstores are currently focused in food
retailing, ranging from a wide variety of fresh vegetable, fruits, meat and fish to grocery, bakery,
dairy, personal and household products. Agora provides its customers with guaranteed quality
and freshness. It carries more than30,000 varieties of products and has plans to expand its
product portfolio to carry other ranges of consumer products in the coming years. It aims at
building a chain of more than 40 superstores by year 2010.Other supermarket brands have since
emerged but Agora continues to be the leader and trendsetter. Agora has been the venue of
launching of Thai products, which have by now become commonplace. Californian apples were
launched here as have been Agora buys products direct from the growers, which benefits the
latter as well as the customers. The products are procured under the direct supervision of its
officials who maintain strict procurement and marketing standards. Products on the shelves are
regularly monitored for expiry dates. Australias red apples, and crystal products from France
were unveiled here. Unilever chose to launch LOreal range of cosmetics at Agora superstores.
The big-sized Boroi so common in the market was launched here. Recently the scientist behind
the cultivation of Strawberry in Bangladesh launched the delicious fruit at Agora. Over 8 million
have purchased products at Agora since the opening of Agoras fist superstore, with 2,000
customers using the Agoras every day on an average. Rifles Square and Gulshan supermarkets
pull more crowd than the other two. Customers prefer using both cash and credit cards. Agora
constantly launches attractive promotions like Bazimat, Value Week or Super Value Offeror
Diamond Ring Offer.The promoter of the Agora project, Rahimafrooz, is one of the most
respected companies in Bangladesh manufacturing and marketing stored power systems for the
automotive industry. All of Rahimafroozs activities are in the service sector, focusing on
consumers, an official of Agoras operating company Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd., said.The
Agora project was a ground-breaking project that underlines the potential for harnessing the
latent market in Bangladesh, said an executive of a leading corporate house adding, they have
produced a service offering of international standard.

Corporate Information
The Rahimafrooz journey dates back to the early fifties when Late Mr. A C Abdur Rahim
founded a small trading company and paved the way for making of one of todays leading
Bangladeshi business conglomerates. Over the decades, Rahimafrooz has grown in size, scale,
and diversity. The Group today has seven Operating Companies (SBUs), three other business
ventures, and a non-profit social enterprise. As of 2007, the Group currently employs more than
two thousand people directly and a further twenty thousand indirectly as suppliers, contractors,
dealers and retailers. Rahimafrooz operates in three broad segments automotive after market,
power and energy, and retail. While our Group activities are coordinated from the Rahimafrooz
Corporate Office (RACO), we have eight Strategic Business Units (SBUs), three other business
ventures, and a not-for-profit social enterprise. Rahimafrooz strengthened their market leadership
at home while reaching out to international markets. Ranging from automotive after market
products, energy and power solutions, to a world class retail chain the team at Rahimafrooz is
committed to ensuring best in class quality standards and living the Groups four core values
Integrity, Excellence, Customer Delight and Innovation.

Vision statement of Agora:

To give customers confidence and establish an

environment of trust.

Mission statement of Agora:

Offer
better
range of

Offer better range of quality products.

Establish rational prices &

Offering a clean, healthy and a friendly

environment to customers for shopping.

quality pr
oducts.

Organizational Structure

Managing Director

Chief Executive Officer

Functional Head

Establish
rational
prices &

Operation
Management

HR Admin

Marketing
& Sales

Accounting
& Finance

Production

Manager

Manager

Manager

Manager

Manager

Manager

Executive
manager

Executive
manager

Executive
manager

Executive
manager

Executive
manager

Executive
manager

Internal
Audit

Offering

Supply chain strategy of Agora

7

a clean,
healthy
and
a friendly
environm
ent to
customer
s for
shopping
.

Supply chain of Agora is not a lengthy process. Basically their supply chain is totally warehousebased. Agora has a large warehouse. At first they store the entire product from different
manufacturer in their warehouse. The transportation cost is totally born by the manufacturing
company. Then the stored products are distributed through the Agoras own vehicles to its several
outlets. There is no intermediary between warehouse of Agora and manufacturing company like
Unilever. No product directly comes to the outlet without the hands of warehouse.These are the
supply chain of Agora at a glance. Now the product wise supply chain explanation of Agora.

Supply chain of Agricultural product

The supply chain of agricultural product of Agora is too much flexible. Agora has contract with
some agricultural firms like vegetables firms, hatchery, poultry firms, mushrooms firms, dairy
&flesh firms (milk, beef, mutton) etc. These firms supply fresh agricultural items as daily, 2
days,3 days, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly based to Agora. The transportation costs are taken by
the producer. All the products are first come in warehouse. Then these deliver to outlets.

Product
(Fishery)

Supplier

Producer
(Vegetables
)

Warehouse
(Agora)

Outlets
(Dhanmon
di, Uttora)

Producer(D
airy firm)

Producer
(Apparels)

Customer

Supply chain of consumer goods

In case of consumer goods Agora has contract with the manufacturer like Unilever, Reckit
Benkizer, Square, Keya, Kohinoor Camicales etc. This company directly deliver product to the
warehouse of Agora. There is no intermediary between this two. The products are never come to
the outlets without the hand of warehouse.

Supplier

Manufacturer
(Unilever)

Warehouse
(Agora)

Outlets
(Dhanmon
di, Uttora)

Customer

Supply chain of imported goods

In case of imported goods, Agora collects goods in two ways:

Directly import
Purchase from import house

Imported
goods

Directly
import

Purchase from
import house

a) Directly import

Here Agora directly imports goods from the foreign manufacturer without any intermediary. In
this case the importer is Agora and the exporter is foreign manufacturer. The products come to
the warehouse to outlet to consumers.
Supplier

Manufact
urer of
abroad
(Havoc)

Importer
(Agora)

Warehouse
(Agora)

Customer

Outlets
(Dhanmondi,
Uttora)

b) Purchase from import house

In Bangladesh there are many import houses that import goods from abroad and sell into the
buyer like Janata Foods, Sorwar & Brothers etc. Meena Bazar purchases products from this
house. Here the importer is the import house not Meena Bazar. This is the basic difference
between the directly import and purchase from the import house. (AlShumon)

Supplier

Manufact
urer of
abroad

Import
House(Janata
Foodshypothetical)

Warehouse
(Meena
Bazar)

Customer

Outlets
(Dhanmondi,
Uttora)

Supply chain of Private Brands

10

Agora produces many private brand products in their own plants. These products are mainly
herbal products like Chandan, Black Tea, Mehendi, Uptan etc. The process of producing these
products is almost same with the traditional supply chain process. The supply chain is:
Supplier

Manufact
urer
(Agora)

Warehouse
(Agora)

Outlets
(Dhanmondi,
Uttora)

Customer

Process view of supply chain of Agora

There are two different ways to view the process performed in a supply chain (Supply Chain
Management)
1. Cycle view
2. Push/Pull view
Based on those two views, the manager of agricultural foods of Agora explains the process of
supply chain followed by Agora. Those are explained below:
1. Cycle view
There are four cycles followed by Agora
a) Customer order cycle.
b) Replenishment cycle
c) Manufacturing cycle
d) Procurement cycle
Customer

Customer order cycle

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Outlet

Replenishment cycle
Warehous
e

Manufacturing cycle
Manufactur
er
Supplier

Procurement cycle

Each supply occurs at the interface between two successive stages of the chain. Supply chain
management by Sunil Chopra describes that a grocery supply chain has all four cycles separated.
We have found the validity of this in the speech of Mr. Labib, the head of Agricultural Foods
items of Agora. He identifies the above four circles of Agora.
When the customer of Agora buys products from its outlets like Dhanmondi, Uttara, Shantinagar
etc. It is customer order cycle, when the outlets like Uttara replenish its products (that are already
sold) from outlet. It is replenishment cycle, when retailer brings product from distributer. It is
manufacturing cycle, when distributer collects materials from manufacturer and it is procurement
cycle, when the manufacturer collects raw materials from suppliers.

2. Push/Pull process and Boundary

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Pull Process
Customer

Customer order cycle

..Push/Pull Boundary
Outlet

Replenishment cycle
Warehous
e

Manufacturing cycle
Manufactur
er
Supplier

Procurement cycle

Push Process

Agora usually use push process. At first the raw materials of any particular product go to the
manufacturer. Then the manufacturer produces the product and sends the product to the
warehouse of Agora. The products are inventoried over the warehouse. Whenever the products
from outlet finished, then the products completely replenished from the warehouse to outlet. At
the end the products are exhibited to the outlet of Agora and the products are purchased by the
customer. All the promotional activities are taken by the manufacturer about the products.

Marketing changes due to establishing of supermarket in Dhaka city

13

If any supermarket is established in Dhaka city absolutely reducing marketing channels because
of the flexibility of the communication. Here public relation, person to person interaction in
much bigger than other city. But any supermarket is established other city then marketing
channels need more than Dhaka city because here flexibility of the communication is not enough
against city of Dhaka. Here transportation and infrastructure facilities are not sufficient rather
than Dhaka city. So here need more marketing channels.

Recommendation for the Agora

With multiple stores in Dhaka, Agora is a leader in superstore retail organizations. The
combination of quality and price under various brand name offers customers value for their
money. We have examined and evaluated the supply chain of Agora; we recommend the
following in order to ensure continued success for the future of all Marks and Spencer stores:
Agora must increase the superior customer service by arranging best quality good
environment providing discounts and placing the convenient outlets for customers home
resident
Actually Agora maintains the environment calm and quiet, hustle and noise free. So
Agora should extend their space broadly in orders to increase to keep large customers. So
that customers find comfort relax and hustle free environment.
Agora must arrange their product as a way that customers can easily purchase all kinds of
products at a short time, because most customers remain busy so maintain their products
with systematically for reducing the time consumption. Here customers give the agree
statement for time consumption for purchasing products.
Agora increase the products well organized, well assorted and well organized so that
customers find the preferable products as they needed, Agora must increase the well
organization of products.
Most of the respondents are satisfied with the Agora products for maintaining the full
satisfaction of customers for purchasing products from Agora.

Conclusion
14

The name of Agora is entwined with the glory of the Agoras marketing policy- to create a
better environment for consumers. A man gifted with an inherent entrepreneurial sense, Late A.
C.Abdur Rahim, the founder of Rahim-Afrooz started a trading house in 1973, which continued
to expand in scope and nature as time went along. In 2000, Agora was introduced to the world.
The success was immediate as there was a demand for such business in the local market. Agora's
state-of-the-art technology and creative strategy gave it an edge ocher its competitors at local
market. Originally specialized in food, it has moved into areas such as clothes, consumer
electronics and consumer financial services, selling DVDs, compact discs and consumer telecom
accessories.
Agora Ltd. is an enterprise that combines industry and trader, mainly engages in retailing the
quality products at the most lowest price in the market. The management of Agora was
enthusiastic advocate of trading stamps as an inducement for shoppers to patronize their stores.
They signed up with all types of quality products manufacturer, and became one of the
companys largest clients. Facing the world and looking beyond, Agora will always maintain the
pure-hearted, enterprising, quality and struggling spirit make efforts to scrupulously abide by our
goodwill, create splendid future together with you in management vision of joint development,
joint prosperity and mutual benefits.

References:
1 .Mr. Harunur Rashid Head of finance & accounts Agora, Dhaka.
2. Mr. Bajan saha Accounts manager Agora, Dhaka.
3.www.agorabd.com
4. www.scribd.com
5.www.wikipedia.com
6. www.bdreport.com

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