Columbia Sportswear to expand India footprint

US-based Columbia Sportswear Company, a leading innovator in the active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment aims to open 25 stores by April 2015 in India sighting rising demand for its products in the country. Last year, it signed an agreement with New Delhi –based Chogori India Retail (CIRL), to serve as the company's exclusive distributor in India. The company opened its first store on December 24, 2013 and now has three stores in the country.

While the plan was to open just three to five stores in the first year of operations, the demand for its merchandise has led to the change in plan and now it would launch 25 stores by April 2015. The aim is to be present through 120 point of sales, exclusive stores and shop-in-shop stores over the next three years in India. Shop-in-shops are in the pipeline for October next year in select MBOs like Shoppers Stop.

Columbia Sportswear, founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia is sold in approximately 100 countries and has earned international reputation for innovation, quality and performance.