Bata India is resetting its growth strategy over the longer term to emphasise scale over margin, as well as place fresh bets on India’s price-sensitive middle class. In the next five years, the footwear giant plans to fuel revenues by increasing sales volumes and realigning its product offerings closer to the tastes of its core consumers.
Speaking on a recent earnings call, Managing Director and CEO Gunjan Shah emphasised that the shift is rooted in a broader vision to build sustainable momentum, even if short-term fluctuations occur. Shah said that they’re steering towards a volume-driven growth path—not just for the next two years, but for the foreseeable future.
To aid this transition, Bata is also re-examining its product and price strategies to be competitive in a price-conscious environment. “At the center of our consumer base is the middle-class Indian,” Shah pointed out, emphasising the demographic as the driver of the company’s strategy.
Sticking with its existing retail format mix, Bata will maintain an 80:20 mix of franchises to company-owned stores. In FY 2025, the company had 624 franchised stores.
Shah also cited the significant performance of top sub-brands, specifically identifying Hush Puppies and Power as substantial drivers of growth subsequent to the dominant Bata brand, collectively contributing to approximately 20 per cent of revenues. Even in a lacklustre demand landscape, the firm is allocating funds in the value-for-money portfolio while refining its store experience to maintain customer engagement.
One of the high-performers here has been the Floatz range, which has just reached Rs. 100 crore (US $ 11.67 million) in sales and, based on current momentum, could reach Rs. 200 crore (US $ 23.35 million) within the year.
