Clarks, a British footwear company, has again officially entered the Indian market under an exclusive long-term deal with Metro Brands Limited. Under the deal, Metro Brands will be Clarks’ exclusive retail and digital partner in India and selected neighbouring markets including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
Metro Brands, which recently opened its 900th store in India, also manages a portfolio of Indian and international footwear brands. CEO Nissan Joseph emphasised that the company is focused on providing a complete and relevant assortment of footwear in premium retail formats while also taking an omnichannel approach.
This agreement demonstrates Clarks’ strategic opportunity to re-enter a growth market with a partner that has local knowledge and expertise in leveraging both offline and online retail environments.
Metro Brands looks after the Clarks digital space and includes its official website and the digital commerce platforms, while in the physical world, all retail channels, including Clarks mono-brand stores and any other venues retailing Clarks products, are under its ambit.
Therefore, this partnership is expected to offer growth opportunities for the brand Clarks in South Asia, coached under the well-set retail infrastructure and market know-how of Metro Brands. Clarks UK & EMEA President Joe Ulloa said that this partnership aims at connecting the brand’s heritage of comfort and craftsmanship with the rapidly changing tastes of Indian consumers.
