Lifetime Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. plans to add 175 pharma retail stores under the brand name “LifeKen” in South India in the current fiscal and is infusing Rs. 40 crore in the initial phase to fuel expansion initiatives, senior company executives said on April 27, 2006.

"Currently, with 25 stores in operation spread across Bangalore, the company plans to expand to 200 stores this financial year-end and 700 stores over the next three years," the company's CEO, M.C. Kini, said.

Chennai operations have recently commenced with three stores and the company is looking at cities of Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Mysore and Mangalore, among others, for expansion, Kini, also promoter and director of the company, said.

"We aim to be present in 8-10 cities over the next five years, and plan to infuse external funding at the 200 store-level," he said.

Company executives said the game-plan is to expand into other States in a phased manner. "Our ambition is to go national," they said.

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