SUPERBRANDS 2012

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BATA

Bata is a Czech brand but is known in every nook and corner of India as an integral part of the Indian culture. Contrary to popular belief, Bata is a multinational company and one of the world's largest retailers of footwear and accessories. Its history is a remarkable tale of perseverance resulting in triumph across continents. Today, this corporate giant is an ISO certified company with a shoe bag full of unique concepts and designs. The 50 million pairs of shoes it sells across India annually are retailed through several thousand outlets and distributed via eleven wholesale depots at key locations.
shoes, 100 million pairs of leather shoe uppers and 1056 million pairs of non-leather footwear. India's exports comprise about 115 million pairs that's barely 5% of its total production; the rest being consumed domestically (Source: fMM&T). With such large numbers, it would seem that the business is pretty automated. Nothing is further from the truth. In a vicarious way this is a good thing to happen, for it allows the local cobbler to be gainfully employed in catering to the demands of a huge population, in the lower income strata. But as economic transformation sweeps rural India, automation will be the call of the hour. The significance of this reality has led to encouraging support from the Indian government, paving the way for technology inflow. According to a study, the domestic footwear industry is expected to grow to C38,500 (US$ 7 billion) crore by 2015 versus about C22,000 crore (US$ 4 billion) at present (Source: ASSOCHAM). The remarkable growth of organised shoe retailing is thanks largely to the entrepreneurial role played by Bata. The company has been manufacturing shoes-of-choice since the 1930s for successive generations of Indians. With the rise of the premium segment, the footwear market that has traditionally been price driven is slowly evolving into a quality and fashionconscious industry. Bata straddles both ends of this spectrum and everything in between. A retail network of over 1250 stores gives it a reach unmatched by any other company. Between them they cover all the metros, mini-metros and every town with a population of half a million or more. The company also has eleven wholesale depots spread across the country, serving more than 5000 dealers. one part of the brilliant Bata story. However, as many believe, this status hasn't come easy. The company has been on the hob through its 80-year history striving to design, manufacture, distribute and sell footwear to an audience that cuts across several strata of economic and social society. But if there were struggles, there were rewards and recognitions, too. At the beginning of 2012, Bata India was awarded the Most Admired Large Format Multi-Brand Footwear Retailer of the Year award and Customer Loyalty award by Shoes & Accessories and the loyalty award for a wide product range and excellent customer service. Brand Equity, too, acknowledged Bata to be amongst the 50 Most Trusted Brands in a 2010 study. This makes Bata the only lifestyle retailer in this august list. The company has also featured amongst India's largest corporations by

Market
It seems that the global footwear industry is recession-proof. When the markets were

retail formats to become more lifestyleoriented. Bata's smart looking stores, supported by a wide range of quality products are aimed at offering a superior shopping experience. The store's ambience provides a perfect backdrop for customers to browse at leisure and shop in a relaxed environment.

Product
Over the years the company's footwear collection has been vastly improved. It has launched trendy and fashionable designs which have not only been received well they have also earned plaudits from its loyal customer base. A new range Malini Ramani for Bata showcases a unique concept of designer wear for the masses. The collection includes a wide variety of bright metallic wedge-heeled Kolhapuri chappals which went on to become a rage amongst the young, fashion-conscious. Simultaneously, Bata also adopted several trendy innovations to its current range such as Marie Claire and Naturalizer to fulfil the needs of an evolving customer. The youth focused brand of North Star and specialty outdoor brand Weinbrenner continue to be favoured by people. The new designs on offer have been inspired by global trends with special emphasis on casual styles. In its quest to bond with the young, Bata has not forgotten its core customer groups. The new dress shoe collection under its famous Ambassador and Mocassino brands has been in great demand. New offerings in the popular Sandak, Batalite and Sunshine labels have continued to attract millions with trendy and lightweight all-weather footwear. The premium brand of Hush Puppies, now presents a complete offering for customers looking for city casual styles, while Scholl and Comfit are being presented in a youthful range.

collapsing around the world the Indian shoe market continued its meteoric rise. Indeed, so sound were the fundamentals that the Indian Footwear Components Manufacturers (fMM&T), in a show of strength organised a huge trade fair in May 2009. Supporting this fair were manufacturers from across the world Brazil, China, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The message being sent out was clear: the international financial hiccup had to be taken in its stride. Times were when you distinguished a lady or a gentleman from the rest by a quick dekko at their feet. That era may have gone but shoes are still a testament to status. As celebrity reporter Rhonda Markowitz once remarked: The study of the shoe, far from being frivolous, is a heady mix of sociology, anthropology and fashion. Shoes hold a unique place in our hearts. India is the world's second largest producer of footwear after China. Accounting for some 14% of global annual footwear production of 14.52 billion pairs, India, however, is still driven largely by the unorganised sector. The 2065 million pairs of different categories of footwear that India manufactures each year, includes 909 million pairs of leather
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the same period, to expand its Hush Puppies range, Bata opened twenty exclusive new stores and five shop-in-shops with leading department stores. The company is planning to add another 100 outlets in 2012 and renovate the existing stores in line with its new design parameters. The company has introduced the Bata Home Delivery Service under which customers can place orders for any Bata footwear, which they were unable to find at a Bata store near them and have it home delivered through courier at no cost to the customer. This service is available for a limited period only. Along with home delivery, Batas website provides consumers the option of browsing its extensive range of footwear and shopping for it online. At Bata India everything is not about business. To reveal its socially conscious side Bata India sponsored a library at Shravan Viklang Kalyan Kendra, Gurgaon for those with special needs. This initiative is a part of the Bata Children's Programme.

Promotion
Bata has optimised its product range to include exciting and innovative designs at knock-out prices. It is the companys belief that value, comfort and quality are the three imperatives that sell footwear. The companys advertisements and promotions leverage these factors. In a well-received promotional activity, Bata offered consumers a chance to win a Bata School Buddy freebie on purchase of C599 (US$ 10.90) worth of products from its Back to School collection. However, Bata is extravagant when it comes to product launches. In 2011, the brand launched a new collection of ladies footwear by Marie Claire in a glamorous fashion event with Miss Universe, Ms. Ximena Navarrette and Ms. Sanjana Jon, international fashion designer and eminent social worker. Available in wedges, kitten heels, gladiators, ballerinas and pumps in an attractive variety of leather, denim, mesh, soft uppers, metallic and ethnic hues, the Marie Claire collection was showcased through a fashion show.

redefined the modern footwear industry in India and through its wide range and principled presence has established a leadership position. Bata India is, by far, the largest footwear retailer in India, enjoying a large market share in the organised sector. Selling over 50 million pairs of footwear every year and serving over 150,000 customers each day, the company carries a responsibility that rests lightly on its shoulders. The principles which Bata persistently adheres and stands by irrespective of market conditions include constant innovation in design and product development, superior customer service, excellence in operational and commercial execution, entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to win. Teamwork in an internationally competitive environment, trust and respect for its employees, supporting communities it works with and delivering on its commitments to shareholders are its core values.

Things you didnt know about

Fortune India.

Bata
Bata serves one million customers each day, employs more than 40,000 people, operates over 4600 retail stores and manages a retail presence in over 50 countries Since it was founded on 24th August 1894, Bata has sold more than 15 billion pairs of shoes more than the number of pairs of feet that have walked the earth during this time Laid end to end, the shoes Bata has so far sold would stretch nearly 12 million kilometres more than 30 times the distance between the earth and the moon Founder, Thomas Bata, was a ninth generation shoemaker. This explains why the numeral 9 appears in all Bata pricing not as is commonly believed to be a psychological sales ploy

History
Bata is part of the Bata Shoe Organisation an internationally reputed leader for manufacturer of shoes and footwear. Incorporated as Bata Shoe Company Private Limited in 1931, the company was set up initially as a small operation in Konnagar (near Calcutta) in 1932. In January 1934, it laid the foundation stone for the first building of Bata's operation. In the years that followed, Bata doubled the size of its production facilities. This township is popularly known as Batanagar today. It is also the first manufacturing facility in the Indian shoe industry to receive the ISO: 9001 certification. The company went public in 1973 and changed its name to Bata India Limited. Today, Bata India has established itself as India's largest footwear retailer with a strong presence in over 500 towns and a reach that no other footwear company can match. The company has significantly transformed its

Recent Developments
Bata India has continued its strategy of expanding its retail presence and in 2011 opened 146 new stores in metros and tier I and tier II towns. Each store is based on the new large format and is above 3000 square feet in area. In

Achievements
Being India's premier shoe manufacturer is just

Brand Values
Bata has held a unique place in the hearts and minds of Indians for nearly 80 years. It has

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