The Walt Disney Company, consumer product retailing arm of global animation giant, will soon add 135 new stores to its existing 15 in India, over the next four years to strengthen its foothold in the rapidly growing market here.
"India is a high priority market for us. We will open 150 stores for our consumer products across the country by 2011," Disney Consumer Products Regional Director (ASEAN) Roshini Bakshi told PTI on the sidelines of the "Technopak Retail Summit" in New Delhi.
The company, which currently operates 15 stores in the country, would open the outlets in franchisee model. She said the company would operate the future stores under a license agreement with Devyani International, which runs the company's present 15 stores.
"The stores will be set up under franchisee models and we are looking at tier I, II and III cities," she said.
The sizes of the outlets would vary from 500 sq ft to 1,500 sq ft area, which would sell stationary goods, party products, school and office items, gifts and soft toys. On the company's expected sales, she said, "Last two years, we grew over 100 per cent. In the next five years, we expect a high two-digit growth figure in the country."
It also has about 100 partners in India, like Cadbury's, Nerolac, Weekenders, Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, etc through which the company sells its products. The company has also set up about 45 Disney Corners in the outlets of its partners.
Asked about adding new partners, Bakshi said: "It is the combination of bringing in right partners and consolidation instead of adding new ones."
The Walt Disney India, the 100-per cent subsidiary of the US firm, is present in the country with diversified business activities - TV channels, animation film production unit, children publishing house and mobile gaming business.
