Arvind Brands goes global

Apparel retailer Arvind Brands is bullish about its international business this financial year. They have just

bagged the rights to retail Cherokee, the American value brand, in West Asia and Egypt. The company already retails Cherokee through its value retail chain Megamart in India. Apart from Megamart, Arvind recently launched Cherokee at HyperCity. The company plans to start retailing Cherokee through departmental stores in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt markets. The company is also betting big on its other licensed apparel brand Arrow in the international market. Arrow, which has a large retail presence in India, is retailed through several departmental stores in West Asia, Egypt, the Maldives, Nepal and Kenya.

According to J Suresh, CEO, Arvind Brands and Retail, the retail environment in West Asia, which has a large Indian diaspora, is more advanced than in India. There are all kinds of consumers there — both the value- and the brand-conscious. They are targeting a turnover of Rs 30 crores for Cherokee in the first year of operations. As for the Arrow brand the department store format is highly evolved in West Asia and offers the brand opportunities to be present across several formats. Arrow is present in 30 Lulu stores and 55 Max stores (from the Landmark group). Arvind also operates five exclusive Arrow showrooms in West Asia.

Currently, the international market accounts for around six per cent of Arrow’s total turnover (the brand clocked Rs 170 crores last year). Arvind hopes Arrow’s international business will rise to 10 per cent this financial year. Arvind also has the license to retail Arrow in South Africa and will start distribution in September. Incidentally, the retailer also has the license for the Izod brand in West Asia and is expected to start retailing soon.