IndiaRetailBiz

“Apart from Reliance Retail, we are looking at a series of similar tie-ups within modern trade. We are looking at newer avenues to reach out to consumers.” — Anil Moolchandani, CMD, Archies Limited.

Archies Limited, the country’s leading marketer of greeting cards and other social expression products, according to an ET report, is looking at extending its reach by setting up outlets inside retail stores of large retail chains including leisure books, music, gifts, and leisure format of Reliance Retail called Reliance TimeOut.

Apart from greeting cards, Archies over the years has expanded its product range into artificial jewellery, crystal ware, chocolates and perfumes, among others.

Chosen as one of the country’s “superbrands” in 2007, while Archies currently derives over 50% of revenue from gifts (Rs 642 crore), its cards business contributes around one-third (Rs 386 crore) of the total 2007-08 revenue amounting to Rs 1179 crore.

To reflect the changing profile of its business, Archies which was founded in 1979 by its CMD Anil Moolchandani as Archies Greetings and Gifts Ltd has changed its name to as Archies Limited in 2002.

Archies has tie-ups and licensing arrangements for popular merchandising characters like Dennis the Menace and Disney characters. It also has arrangements with Paramount Cards, Anne Geddes, and American Greetings, for greeting card design and name use.

The company, in tune with its diversification strategy, has also tied up with UK-based Carte Blanche Greetings for distribution and sell of greetings cards, gifts, stationery and apparel.