Join industry leaders at the Kolkata Retail Summit 2025 to explore innovative trends, networking opportunities, and strategies shaping the future of retail.
The Kolkata Retail Summit (KRS) 2025 is set to take place on December 2, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency, Kolkata. Organized by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), this event is widely regarded as the definitive retail convention for Eastern India, bringing together industry stalwarts, regional powerhouses, and technology innovators.
With the event just around the corner, here is a comprehensive update on what to expect, the finalized agenda, and the key themes that will dominate the discussions.
Kolkata Retail Summit 2025: Event Snapshot
- Date: December 2, 2025 (Tuesday)
- Time: 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM IST
- Venue: Hyatt Regency, Kolkata
- Organizer: Retailers Association of India (RAI)
- Focus: Eastern India’s evolving retail landscape, consumer behavior, and omnichannel growth.
Kolkata Retail Summit 2025: Key Themes & Agenda
The 2025 edition centers on the theme of adaptation and modernization, specifically tailored to the unique consumer dynamics of Eastern India. The agenda is structured around four core pillars:
1. The New Consumer Playbook: What Shoppers in the East Really Want
- Focus: Moving beyond generic national strategies to understand the specific nuances of the Eastern Indian consumer.
- Discussion: How cultural preferences, festival economies (like Durga Puja), and price sensitivity versus value consciousness are shaping buying decisions in 2025.
2. Experience is Everything: From Storefront to Storytelling
- Focus: The shift from transactional retail to experiential retail.
- Discussion: Innovating physical store formats to offer “retailtainment” and immersive experiences that e-commerce cannot replicate.
3. The Power of Partnership: Retailers, Brands, and Technology
- Focus: Collaboration over competition.
- Discussion: How legacy brands are partnering with retail-tech startups (SaaS, AI, Logistics) to modernize their supply chains and customer interfaces.
4. Retail 2025 and Beyond: Building for the Next Generation
- Focus: Future-proofing businesses.
- Discussion: Succession planning in family-owned businesses, adopting sustainable practices, and preparing for the next wave of digital transformation.
Speaker Highlights: Who to Watch
The summit features a robust lineup of speakers representing a mix of national giants and successful regional brands that have scaled up. Key names confirmed for the sessions include:
- Sagar Daryani: Co-Founder & CEO, Wow! Momo Foods (and Chairman, Kolkata Chapter, RAI) – Expect insights on scaling a home-grown brand to a national powerhouse.
- Joita Sen: Director, Marketing & Designs, Senco Gold Ltd. – Likely to cover the integration of tradition with modern retail trends in the jewelry sector.
- Rohit Kedia & Shreyans Surana: Directors, Style Baazar – Focusing on value retail and penetrating tier-2 and tier-3 markets.
- Gautam Jatia: Managing Director, Emami Frank Ross Ltd. – Representing the pharmacy and wellness retail sector.
- Ankur Agarwal: Founder, Medkart Pharmacy – Discussing disruption in healthcare retail.
- Suman Mukherjee: VP (East Region), Barbeque Nation – Insights into the F&B service landscape.
- Vineet Agarwala: Founder & CEO, BlueHorse Software – Bringing the technology and digital transformation perspective.
Kolkata Retail Summit 2025: Why This Summit Matters Now
The Kolkata Retail Summit 2025 comes at a critical time for the Eastern region.
- Rise of “Many Indias”: Brands are increasingly realizing that a “one size fits all” strategy doesn’t work. The East has shown distinct growth patterns, particularly in the fashion and F&B sectors, which this summit aims to decode.
- Tech Adoption in Traditional Retail: With a high concentration of legacy family businesses in Kolkata, the summit serves as a bridge, connecting these traditional powerhouses with modern tech enablers (RFID, CRM, AI).
- Networking: It is the primary annual gathering for the retail fraternity in the region, offering a rare opportunity for face-to-face networking with decision-makers from diverse sectors like jewelry, apparel, electronics, and food service.
Latest Updates for Attendees
- Registration: The event is primarily for RAI members and invited delegates. Non-members looking to attend should contact the RAI Kolkata chapter immediately as registration may be closing.
- Networking App: Attendees are encouraged to check if the “Glue Up” app (used by RAI for events) has opened networking slots to pre-book meetings with speakers or partners.
- Dress Code: Business Formals / Smart Casuals.
Also, read INFOCOM 2025 Kolkata: “Technology – Future Forward”
