Indian knitwear company Rupa & Co. Ltd. will launch Fruit of the Loom brand in the country by the end of this month.
Earlier this year, the company entered into a 10-year manufacturing and distribution agreement with Fruit of the Loom, a manufacturer and marketer of underwear, T-shirts, fleece and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US-based Berkshire Hathaway.
Once available in the market, Fruit of the Loom will become the second international brand after FCUK, owned by British apparel label French Connection, which will be manufactured and marketed in India by the Rupa Group.
Post the agreement, Rupa has the rights to manufacture, distribute, advertise and sell Fruit of the Loom innerwear and outerwear products for men, boys, women, girls and toddlers in the Indian market. The company has already started production of these products in Tirupur, Indore, Daman and Chennai.
Media reports claim that around 87 styles across the men’s and women’s range will be launched at 2,500 stores. The products will be priced between Rs. 150 and Rs. 400.
Rupa wants to position Fruit of the Loom as a premium brand; their products would be available in 30,000 outlets over the next five years.
