Gas Jeans keen on Tier-II city retail

Brands have realised the opportunities that Tier-II cities offer,

especially with higher disposable incomes and brand awareness among the consumers. Gas Jeans too has realised this and joined the numerous brand looking for Tier-II city expansion. The brand has decided to enter Tier-II markets of Ludhiana, Pune, Chandigarh and Hyderabad and is investing around Rs 6 crore for this purpose. M M Kamath, Director, Gas Jeans believes Tier-II cities have the spending power and there are opportunities for the brand. They plan to start with the first store in Ludhiana followed by other cities. With three franchisee stores in Mumbai and New Delhi the brand is looking to add 12 new stores in the next three years.

Apart from setting up a manufacturing unit in South India, Gas also has plans of creating profit avenues by next financial years. The brand would also test the e-retailing platform based on its e-commerce model in Italy. Gas entered India in 2006 in a joint venture with Raymond. The JV operated for three years, after which both parties mutually separated. Then, in 2010, Gas decided to enter directly in India with a cash and carry format, thereby founding Gas Jeans, the Indian subsidiary of Grotto Spa.

Since 1984 Grotto Spa has designed, manufactured and distributed a total look of high-quality denim apparel, shoes and accessories for men and women and children under the Gas label. Gas is a premium jeanswear brand with an international feel fuelled by the idea of fashionable - yet functional and practical. The brand is also looking at introducing online sales for the brand as it already has an e-commerce model in Italy. Globally, Gas is a Rs 600-crores brand and in India it is aiming to achieve a turnover of Rs 40 crores by 2013.