IndiaRetailBiz

“We are now on a sustainable growth and profit path.” — P M Sinha, Chairman, Bata India.

Bata India, the country’s largest and oldest organised footwear retailer, which with sales of 867 cr. and net profit of Rs. 47 crore turned around its fortunes in 2007, is hoping to sustain the buoyancy in business. Apart from opening 250 new stores in the next three years, the company according to its Chairman P M Sinha, will also be upgrading around 80 outlets. Sinha was addressing shareholders of the company at the 75th annual general meeting held at Kolkata on the 19th June.

Bata currently operates 950 stores, employees 8,000 persons, and serves over 100,000 customers across the country, every day. The company, which has a presence in 45 countries, operates over 4,600 stores worldwide.

The turnaround according to Sinha was an outcome of restructuring and re-engineering initiatives undertaken by the company, said Sinha.

With the export market continuing to remain extremely competitive, the company has taken a conscious decision to concentrate on the domestic market. The company will now focus on introducing new designs and quality products in the domestic market.