Louis Philippe enters footwear zone
Premium menswear brand, Louis Philippe, from Aditya Birla Group has diversified into men’s footwear. The brand, first one under the Madura Garments’ stable to diversify from apparel, expects the new category to contribute at least 15 revenues in a year. The company’s new avatar in the retail zone will result in a new outlook to its store formats wherein a new business opportunity will be immerged for in-store signage companies.


Retailer store operator Trent Ltd has announced that it has decided to raise Rs 500 crore by issuing shares to the existing shareholders on rights basis. The company would utilise the funds raised for its proposed retail expansion plans. The unit of TATA operates in two business segments of retailing and distribution business & consultancy services of the company. Trent operates retail stores of the most popular garment brand Westside across India. Surging of new Trent retail stores will be a new opportunity for the signage sector where in-store media companies, sign suppliers and print providers could carve business.
Cocoberry, India’s first premium frozen yogurt chain is eyeing 50 retail outlets across India by the end of fiscal 2010-11. The company, which at present has about 11 operational outlets in Dehi NCR and Mumbai, plans to expand its reach in cities like Chandigarh, Bangalore, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata etc in the next one year. Cocoberry, which launched its first store in Feburary 2009 in Delhi has earmarked an investment close to Rs 120 crore for expansion in the next two years. It has set a target to grow to about 100-150 outlets over the next three years. The nationwide expansion of Cocoberry outlets is a new sunshine opportunity for signage players like in-store media companies, sign suppliers, print providers, etc.
Komala’s Restaurants, South Indian fast food chain from Singapore, has entered India with its first outlet in Mumbai. The firm has teamed up with Primary Cuisine Pvt Ltd as the master franchisee. The outlet is spread across an area of 3,000 sq.ft at High Street Phoenix, Mumbai. The company has further plans to unveil two more outlets this year and seven more outlets in 2011 in western and northern India. In addition to a new opportunity to nurture everyone’s taste buds, the new Komola’s Restaurants are the right corners for signage companies too as it would give new business opportunity to ins-tore signage companies, sign suppliers, etc.
Middle East retail chain Max, part of Landmark group, is expanding its footprints across India, especially in the south. The company accounts for maximum revenue Max fashion brand, expecting double revenue to breach Rs 400 crore mark by March 2011. Using ‘pocket-friendly prices’ as its USP, the Rs 188-crore Max is offering apparel for family. Max has 16 outlets operating in the metros while the rest are located in the Tier II towns. It plans to take its total store count to 53 by March 2011. With the expansion of the global retail giant’s retail outlets, in-store signage players would find a new pace in business.
Popular diamond retail chain ORRA Diamonds has drawn up a Rs 75-crore plan for retail expansion over the next three years. The company already has 29 stores in 19 cities across the country and is adding four new stores in Baroda, Lucknow, Jallandhar and Amritsar this year. What ORRA Diamonds is moving ahead is with a vision to set another 16 new stores in the scheduled period. Now is the time for signage players like in-store sign companies to get set on their marks for the D-day to hit the glitter zones.
, the promoters of Q-Mart lifestyle super market, signed an agreement with CFW International Inc (Curves India) to set up 18 Curves centres in Andhra Pradesh. CFW International is the master licensee of Curves brand of fitness centres for women in India. The centre offers fitness, strength training and weight loss guidance. While 15 centres would come up in Hyderabad, one each has been planned in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati. Not only for the fitness aficionados, the new curve centers will carve a new business opportunity for signage players too.
Discount store chain The Loot announces its process of raising Rs 100 crore to boost its growth. The company, which recently forayed into the shop-in-shop format, plans to open 10 more such stores this quarter and is talking to players like Reliance Retail, Aditya Birla and Future Group among others for this. Out of the 10 stores, five would come up in Mumbai. Currently, The Loot has 150 odd stores pan-India and over the next six months, the company plans to open 40 more standalone stores taking their total number to 200, including the ones in shop-in-shop format. Now, signage players like in-store media companies, sign makers and print providers can get set to loot a new business opportunities in the new stores.