News Detail Press

Cologne/Delhi ,
30.01.2020

BIRKENSTOCK Begins Selling Its Sandals Loved Around the World for the First Time in India

Distribution of the iconic sandals with the famous footbed has now started with the opening of the first mono-brand store and via the official BIRKENSTOCK online shop.

With this move, Germany’s largest shoe manufacturer is taking a step into one of the most important growth markets worldwide: As part of its international growth strategy, the family-owned company with a rich tradition is now expanding its global footprint to India. Since the high-quality products from Germany have not yet been sold on the local market via trade partners, BIRKENSTOCK is now presenting itself to Indian consumers as a premium lifestyle brand synonymous with quality, function, and overall well-being for the first time.

Several mono-brand retail stores are planned to open in an international premium brand environment in the country’s top shopping locations. The first opening at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi started the ball rolling on January 27, 2020. Additionally visitors can already gain an overview of the company’s comprehensive range of classic sandals for men, women and children and closed shoes, as well as the feminine models from the Papillio range at the official online store at <link http: www.birkenstock.in>www.birkenstock.in.

Thus, BIRKENSTOCK will create a holistic brand experience and provide additional inspiration at the point of sale while at the same time doing justice to the major significance of the Indian market. By expanding sales activities over the medium term, including in the form of partner-operated retail concepts and shop-in-shop concepts for retail partners in the premium segment, the company is underscoring its growth ambitions in the region.

“It’s precisely the right time for us to enter the Indian market. A booming, brand-compatible retail environment meets a strong consumer demand for genuine quality. We expect India to become one of the five most important markets for BIRKENSTOCK within the next few years, since we offer the perfect products for the current spirit of the times and lifestyle in this country,” says Oliver Reichert, CEO of the BIRKENSTOCK Group.

Jens Hattab, Regional Managing Director Middle East Africa India for BIRKENSTOCK, has been preparing the company’s entry into the market together with his staff. He is responsible for the business growth and the general operations in this area and gained more than 20 years of experience in the international footwear and fashion business in this region of the world. Most recently, he worked as managing director and distributor for various renowned international brands.

Vinay Bansal is taking on the role as BIRKENSTOCK Managing Director India and will lead the business and his team locally. Due to his previous experience in the international brand business in India and beyond, he has profound knowledge of the market.

BIRKENSTOCK is now available to its Indian sales partners to answer any questions they may have regarding collections and potential partnerships through its showroom and regional office in Gurgaon, located in the greater Delhi area.

BIRKENSTOCK India Private Limited

WeWork Forum DLF Cyber City

Phase III, Sector 24

Gurugram -122010

Birkenstock.in

Press contact

Jochen Gutzy
Chief Communications Officer

Birkenstock Group B.V. & Co. KG
Burg Ockenfels
53545 Linz

Postal address:
Sedanstraße 4
D-50668 Köln

E-mail:mediabirkenstockcom

About BIRKENSTOCK

BIRKENSTOCK is a global brand which embraces all consumers regardless of geography, gender, age and income and which is committed to a clear purpose - maintaining foot health. Deeply rooted in studies of the biomechanics of the human foot and footed on a family tradition of shoemaking that can be traced back to 1774, BIRKENSTOCK is a timeless «super brand» with a brand universe that transcends product categories and ranges from entry-level to luxury price points while addressing the growing need for a conscious and active lifestyle. Function, quality and tradition are the core values of the lifestyle brand which features products in the footwear, sleep systems and natural cosmetics segments. BIRKENSTOCK is the inventor of the footbed and has shaped the principle of walking as intended by nature (“Naturgewolltes Gehen”).

With around 6,200 employees worldwide, we believe how things are made matters as much as the product itself. To ensure these quality standards, we operate a vertically integrated manufacturing base and produce all our footbeds in Germany. In addition, we assemble over 95% of our products in Germany and we source over 90% of our materials and components from Europe. We process our inputs to the highest environmental and social standards in the industry by operating state-of-the-art scientific laboratories for materials testing.

BIRKENSTOCK runs operational sites in Germany, in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Bavaria, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Headquartered in Linz am Rhein, the BIRKENSTOCK Group also operates its own sales offices in the United States and Canada as well as in Brazil, Japan, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Dubai, Singapore and India.

Birkenstock Group B.V. & Co. KG Burg Ockenfels,
Linz am Rhein, Germany

You can find our online shop at www.birkenstock.com