Bata India Ltd. has identified new avenues of growth in the post-pandemic era as the country gradually learns to cope with the virus.
First, growth of franchise stores in small towns with 1-3 lakh population, Sandeep Kataria, chief executive officer at the maker of footwear under the namesake brand, Hush Puppies and Marie Claire, among others, told BloomberQuint in an interview. The company has seen a rise in demand from smaller towns as they choose to shop from local stores instead of travelling to cities amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
Second, increase sales via distribution channels — retail sales via non-Bata stores.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
Third, digital retail, which has seen dramatic growth in India during the lockdown, as Bata adopts technology. The company, Kataria said, has even sold products via video calls and Facebook-owned messenger application WhatsApp.
Besides, after multiple studies and surveys, Bata has decided to focus on fashion and comfort wear in urban India as work-from-home prompted customers to opt for more festive and activewear shoes, he said.
The company was growing between 7% and 11% for the last five years before the pandemic struck. Its revenue fell 9% in the quarter ended March 2020. While Kataria expects the fiscal ending March 2021 to be subdued on disruptions caused by the virus outbreak, he is confident of attaining growth in the following years, he said.
Watch the full conversation here:
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
