Women’s denim and casualwear brand Kraus Jeans is expanding its retail network as part of a broader plan to strengthen its direct-to-consumer presence. The Mumbai-based company, which began operations in 2003 through large-format multi-brand outlets (MBOs) such as Shoppers Stop, is now prioritising company-owned, company-operated (COCO) stores to maintain operational consistency and brand control.
According to founder and managing director Ravi Punjabi, the company opened eight new outlets in the last quarter, bringing its total to 22 exclusive brand outlets (EBOs), of which 19 are COCO stores. Each outlet averages 600 sq.ft. and involves an investment of around Rs. 30 lakh (US $ 33,800), including inventory costs.
The brand continues to retail through around 1,300 MBO counters in stores such as Pantaloons, Lifestyle, and Shoppers Stop, where its display area has increased as the product line has grown from denim to a wider casualwear range. Punjabi noted that Kraus, which initially focused on bottomwear, now offers an expanded portfolio including topwear and other casualwear categories.
Punjabi said that 19 of the 22 existing EBOs are profitable and typically reach breakeven within 18–20 months. The company plans to open another 15–16 stores by the end of the current financial year, funded through internal accruals. For FY ’25, Kraus reported combined revenues of Rs. 206 crore (US $ 23.24 million) and aims to reach Rs. 260 crore (US $ 29.33 million) by FY ’26.
The company’s EBO rollout is concentrated in metropolitan and Tier-1 cities, mainly within malls where it already has an established presence through MBOs. A strategic investment from Kewal Kiran Clothing Ltd. (KKCL) is expected to support Kraus’s future expansion into Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets. Punjabi said that the next phase of growth would include extending the brand’s presence to smaller towns using KKCL’s retail network.
Internationally, Kraus has partnered with the Lulu Group to supply products to stores across the GCC region, currently servicing 30 outlets and planning to expand to 60 within 18 months. The company is also assessing the potential for launching its own EBOs in the region, with international sales projected to contribute up to 3% of total revenue by FY ’26.
Domestically, Kraus remains largely focused on offline channels but is exploring quick-commerce opportunities. Discussions are under way with platforms including Myntra’s M-Now to assess their suitability for the brand’s pricing and product mix. Across its channels, the company’s product mix currently stands at 70% bottomwear and 30% topwear in large-format stores, while its EBOs feature a more balanced 55:45 ratio.
