Bubba Blue Australia plans rapid India expansion

Australian brand Bubba Blue launched at the UBM CBME fair in India is receiving positive enquiries from Gujarat, Jalandhar, Mumbai and Delhi. “Being a premium quality product in Australia, and now entering India, we want the branding to be done well and that’s what UBM has given us. That’s the reason

we want to stick to them for a longer time,” explains Manik Makkar, Distributor, Bubba Blue Australia. With its premium range, the brand is looking at establishing a strong footprint in India.

Premium

products at matching prices

Bubba Blue offers premium products at premium pricing. For example, a towel for a baby costs around Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. Elaborating on the reason behind premium pricing, Makkar says, “The cotton that we use is a 225 mm thread. The quality that we are bringing to India is better than Indian standards. It’s an Australian standard product and Australian government is strict about quality. What is special about the products is the organic range of baby essentials. The organic range is priced Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000. The packaging is also with recycled material.”

The price point for organic cotton bedding is from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000. The blankets are of premium quality and popular in Australia. Normal bedding starts from Rs 1,500 and for single piece it is Rs 1,200 and the organic range can go up to Rs 2,500. The gifts sets go up to Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.

“Premium does not come at a small cost and everyone is aware of that. If you want premium quality for your baby, you have to pay extra. People in India are looking at premium quality products and are happy to shell out money for their baby, and this is the reason we want to enter the market now,” he avers.

Retail on the roll

“There are people who have approached us for OEM concept as well and they want us to manufacture and take over the brand. But we don’t want to do that,” asserts Makkar.

The company is targeting big stores like Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle. After getting good response from distributors and retailers, Bubba Blue is looking at establishing itself in the first two years. It aims to open at least 100-150 high-end stores by the end of this year. After 2015, the brand may look at other formats such as distributors and retailers.