KP Garments eyes school biz

Kolkata-based export firm, K P Garments, is foraying into organised by retail, targeting school children.

Under the brand name, "Only Schools" the company plans to invest Rs 4 crore towards setting up ten retail outlets for school uniforms and stationery in Kolkata within the next one year.

The first store will be opened on Naresh Mitra Sarani, near Lansdown, followed by another on Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Road. The average size of the stores would vary between 1,000-2,000 square feet, said Hiren Panchal, director, Only Schools, at a press conference in Kolkata on Saturday.

The company aims to open similar outlets in tier II cities like Asansol and Madhyamgram, in its second phase of expansion. K P Garments's manufacturing unit is located in the Tiljala area of Kolkata.

"The market for school requirements is highly fragmented and unorganised. As we have our own manufacturing unit, the school uniforms in our outlets will be cheaper than other vendors," said Panchal.