Pepperfry partners with FM Logistic for e-com fulfilment in West

January 12, 2021: The furniture and home products marketplace Pepperfry awarded a contract to the 3PL service provider FM Logistic to manage its fulfilment operations for the western region of India.

FM Logistic India will carry out warehousing operations at one of Pepperfry’s largest warehouses located in Bhiwandi which is spread across an area of 2,85, 000 sq ft. The 3PL service provider will manage storage and undertake the process of quality control as per prescribed guidelines and fulfil Pepperfry’s omnichannel orders. These goods will then be delivered to Pepperfry’s studios for display and distribution centres across India, using Pepperfry’s last-mile delivery network.

Ashish Shah, co-founder & COO, Pepperfry. “The partnership with FM Logistic India will help us serve our customers better thanks to a faster, most cost-effective supply chain and a continuous improvement orientation that FM Logistics brings to the table.”

Alexandre Amine Soufiani, MD, FM Logistic India, said, “We are committed to helping our customers develop their e-commerce and omnichannel strategies. A fast supply chain is critical for brands to strengthen their identity and relationship with end customers. Therefore we are delighted to help Pepperfry manage their fulfilment operations for the western region.”

The Indian furniture market is segmented on the basis of:

• Material - wood, metal, and plastic and other furniture
• Type - home furniture, office furniture, contract furniture, and other furniture
• Distribution channel - supermarkets and hypermarkets, speciality stores, online, and other distribution channels

The furniture industry in India, which currently stands at $17 billion in size, is growing at a CAGR of 15-17 percent. The organised sector accounts for about 15 percent of the industry, and the online furniture segment accounts for only 3 percent of that but is growing at a CAGR of 80-85 percent. The major growth drivers for the industry are the evolving consumer preference for premium and good quality products, increasing urban population, growing internet connectivity and rising disposable income, among others. Further, Covid-19 has accelerated the shift from offline to online shopping and has positively influenced the WFH furniture market in India.

In 2020, the FM Logistic India has added 10 lakh sq ft of warehousing space under its operations despite the ongoing pandemic. This has created 800 new jobs and allowed 200 internal promotions. Furthermore, it still plans to expand its operations by the end of 2022-23, as announced earlier this year. The company will be setting up its own warehouses in the major consumption areas of the country like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, etc. It's first owned multi-client Facility (MCF) in Jhajjar, Haryana will provide 7,00,000 sq ft of warehousing space and will be operational this year. FM is aiming for a LEED Certification for this facility.