Bata India to add 150 retail, franchise stores in 2018, launch new products

Footwear major Bata India, which is focusing on "aggressive launch" of new products, plans to add around 100 new retail stores and 50 franchises across the country in 2018, an official said here on Friday.

"Your company plans to add around 100 new retail stores and 50 new franchise stores in the current year across India," Chairman Uday Khanna told shareholders at the 85th Annual General Meeting here.

He said the growth of the industry has been triggered by increasing internet and smartphone penetration and the shoemaker sold more than 8.9 lakh pairs of footwear through e-commerce channels, recording a turnover of Rs 879 million during 2017-18.

In order to expand its presence in the e-commerce space, the company also listed its products on high traffic-generating websites, Khanna said.

"It plans to focus on building the Bata brand and attracting footfalls through attractive store decor, in-store activities, aggressive launch of new products and increasing our advertising spend," he said.

In 2017-18, the footwear major added over 100 new retail stores, 31 franchise stores and renovated more than 90 stores across India.

It recorded a turnover of Rs 2,636 crore, which marked 6 per cent growth over the previous year.