STAR BUSINESS REPORT

A combo of beef and potatoes for Tk 160, introduced by retail chain Shwapno in light of persistent inflation, has quickly gained popularity, particularly among budget-conscious customers.

The country’s largest supermarket chain launched the product on November 1 and has sold 70,000 packs so far.

“We introduced the packs so middle-class families could afford to ensure nutrition. We have seen a number of people express interest since we launched the product,” Sabbir Hasan Nasir, ACI Logistics’ executive director, said at a briefing at the company’s office yesterday.

The small pack of the combo includes 200 grammes of beef and 100 grammes of potatoes for just Tk 160. The larger variety contains 375 grammes of beef and 200 grammes of potatoes for Tk 300.

Beef has become prohibitively expensive for most low-income families while potatoes, among the most popular vegetables in the country, have also become dearer.

Each kilogramme (kg) of beef was selling for Tk 700 to Tk 800 in Dhaka yesterday, up 3.45 percent from a month ago. Meanwhile, potatoes were retailing for as much as Tk 75 per kg yesterday, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Nasir said many people have been unable to afford beef for the past two years.

“Now, they can afford it,” he added.

Persistent price hikes have strained the purchasing power of low, fixed and middle-income people in recent years, with inflation hovering over 9 percent since March 2023, according to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

As such, Shwapno launched around 25 affordable combo offers, including fish-potato and vegetarian options, in 100 outlets across the country for the convenience of customers.

The rui-potato combo for Tk 60, hotchpotch for Tk 65 and a vegetarian option for Tk 50 are also popular, Nasir said.

“Before launching the package, we spoke to various stakeholders, including middle-class families,” he said.

“Currently we have 20-25 combos. In the next three to six months, we will expand to over 100.”

Shwapno began its journey in 2008. Currently, it has a network of 520 outlets, mostly in cities and towns.