Nalli to focus on Tier II cities

Famous for its silk saris, Nalli the Chennai-based retailer is planning to enter Tier II cities

with its wedding collection. Wedding sales account for nearly 50 per cent of Nalli’s overall sales. A significant portion of its sales (24 per cent) comes from people who live in smaller cities but who travel to Nalli outlets in bigger cities. The brand has already kickstarted its expansion plans in Tier II cities by opening a store in Coimbatore last April. Three more stores are in the pipeline and will be opened in Puducherry, Kanchipuram and Ahmedabad. Nalli has something for everybody – be it traditional Kanchipuram or designer saris and light weight crepes.

The brand runs 24 stores across major metros such as Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai and plans to open stores in Bangalore and Mumbai as well. Though based in Chennai, Nalli has a big market in Delhi and hence the brand is looking at increasing its store count in the north (NCR and Punjab). There are also plans to enter the east, in Kolkata. Apart from the traditional Nalli format, the retailer also operates three Nalli Next stores in Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai, catering to the demands of the modern working woman. The retailer aims to invest Rs 100-150 crores in two years on retail expansion. Moreover the brand has an international presence, with two stores in the US and Singapore. It’s looking at expanding in the Asian market such as Sri Lanka.