CultFit’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) branch, CultSport, specialising in sportswear, fitness apparel and equipment, is shifting focus to offline retail, outlining its strategy to inaugurate an exclusive brand outlet each month. In an interview, Shamik Sharma, CultSport’s business head, highlighted the company’s ambitious plans to match its 600 existing fitness centers across India with a similar number of offline stores within three years. Sharma emphasised the limited presence of sports retail shops in the country, positioning the brand advantageously within this landscape.
Recognising the potential for numerous Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) in the coming years, Sharma indicated the company’s initiation of one brand outlet per month over the forthcoming months, following the recent launch of its first store in Bengaluru.
Commencing online sales in 2019 through the Cult app, CultSport expanded its reach across prominent marketplaces like Myntra, Flipkart, and Amazon. Transitioning to an omnichannel approach, it entered multi-brand outlets offline. Sharma asserted a 70 per cent growth in online sales for the brand last year.
In FY ’22, the sale of sports apparel and related merchandise generated revenue of Rs. 12 crore for the company’s overall business. Discussing their expansion strategy, Sharma revealed plans to gradually venture into newer categories. While currently offering footwear, apparel, cycles, and cardio equipment, CultSport intends to step into domains like outdoor hiking products, swimwear, accessories, and sporting goods, positioning itself in direct competition with global retailers like Decathlon in the Indian market.
