Chicco to source from India

Italian baby care brand Chicco will start sourcing apparel and shoes from India for its sales as well

as for global operations. The sourcing will be done by tapping departmental and pharmacy chains. Chicco already has a presence in India. The brand has an exclusive outlet in New Delhi and plans to expand its retail operation to 10 exclusive stores across the country by 2011. These will come up in major metros and Tier-I cities, besides hundreds of points of sales throughout the country in the multi-branded format. The brand is a part of Italian health and wellness products major Artsana SPA.

Artsana is looking at opening Chicco flagship stores at cities like Mumbai and Bangalore. The brand will introduce its entire range -- including apparel, shoes, accessories and toiletries -- in the country, but with innovations designed to address Indian customer needs. Globally, Chicco is available in over 70 countries and operates 170 exclusive outlets and also has a presence through thousands of multi-branded stores. For Artsana the Indian baby care market is the most exciting in the world, since 19 per cent of all births every year take place here. They see India as the next frontier after their success in Europe, the US and South America.