Bata to add 500 outlets in next 5 years

Kolkata: Bata India has lined up plans to add 70 outlets within the current year and 500 franchise outlets over the next five years, said Uday Khanna, Chairman, Bata India. The company had opened 71 new Bata Retail and 51 franchise outlets and had renovated 47 stores during the financial year 2018-19 (FY19). It had also relocated 14 stores and closed 28. At present, the company has nearly 1,500 Bata Retail stores and nearly 150 franchise outlets.

"We have plans to open 100 stores a year and would close 25 to 30 which are either at wrong place or not making profits. We tend to continue to keep this pace. (On a net basis) we do add about 70 stores a year," said Khanna, who was here to address the 86th annual general meeting of the company.

Khanna said that the company is mostly pursuing franchise or wholesaler route for expanding its foot print in smaller cities, towns and rural areas.