There has been a big buzz recently on how India might become a steam horse in the global economy as a manufacturer. But how is it going with the 1.2 billion people populating the huge Asian subcontinent as far as outdoor activities are concerned? We asked our reporter to check out Indian outdoor shops – and, of course, the great, but still under-estimated outdoor arena of the huge country.

1. The Indian Outdoor Market is about to Emerge:
The Holy Cow Learns
How To Hike
There has been a big buzz recently on how India might become a steam der, from Kashmir in the west to Sikkim in
horse in the global economy as a manufacturer. But how is it going with the east – with multiple peaks of more than
the 1.2 billion people populating the huge Asian subcontinent as far as 7,000 metres.
“ These Indians increasingly have the same
outdoor activities are concerned? We asked our reporter to check out In-
urge as their counterparts in other coun-
dian outdoor shops – and, of course, the great, but still under-estimated tries to let off steam at the week-end and
outdoor arena of the huge country. to escape from crowded Indian cities ” ex-
plained Kam Raghavan, who moved to In-
dia last year to head up Pentland India and
With the Himalayas only a few hours away, India’s 1.2 billion people the ranks of the to launch Berghaus, the group’s outdoor
Rimo Expeditions in Delhi has long thrived middle class are inflating fast and they are brand, in the Indian market. It is estimated
as an organiser of trekking and climbing predicted to include more than 580 milli- that roughly 500,000 Indians regularly head
expeditions. Adventurous travellers from on Indians by 2025. They increasingly have out to the hills and mountains for outdoor
all around the world called Chewang Mo- the resources to spend a little share of their activities. They mostly go hiking, but also
tup the owner of Rimo Expeditions to help budget on leisure, including outdoor acti- often associate the outdoors with activities
them explore India’s stupendous lands- vities. like paragliding and rafting.
capes, from the heights of Ladakh to the Most of the Indian trekkers and climbers
lushness of Assam. are young adults from large towns, not sel- Restricted market
Until a few years ago most of the callers dom employed by international companies
were foreigners but this has been changing in towns like Bangalore and Hyderabad. For the time being there are only a dozen
markets : india
rapidly.” In the last ten years the number Some of them are even organised in out- international outdoor brands sold in India
of Indian participants has multiplied almost door groups. They regularly arrange short in any organised way, and the entire mar-
ten-fold, said Chewang Motup. “To cope outings in the surroundings, like the We- ket is estimated at less than €70 million at
with the demand, we have even had to stern Ghats for Mumbai residents and the retail level. The appeal of outdoor brands
open another office in Mumba”. Hampi climbing site near Bangalore which is growing, as underlined by buoyant sales
The rising interest comes as the Indian eco- boasts some of the best granite rocks in the of Woodland, an Indian outdoor fashion
nomy continues to expand rapidly, with a country. When they have more time they brand with scores of stores around the
growth rate estimated by the International might head out to the Himalayas, which country. On the other hand the scope for
Monetary Fund at 10.4% last year. Among form a huge stretch of India’s northern bor- technical gear is much more restricted as
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2. participation remains weak and the prices Chogori India sells to about fifty indepen- is Planet Sports. While there are thousands
of imported products are often still prohibi- dent stores as well as hiking clubs and tra- of independent sports stores in India, Planet
tive for Indian consumers. vel organisations. Sports is the only integrated multi-brand
Such technical products are often sold by sports retail chain in the country, with 70
small shops in the mountain resorts which Urban customers stand-alone stores. Its offering focuses on
mostly cater to tourists and often organise branded apparel and footwear by the lea-
treks themselves. An example is Top Rock As interest in outdoor activities spreads in ding international brands, but a related
Adventures in Vashisht near Manali, a hub urban India, outdoor stores have begun to company has distribution deals with several
for outdoor activities in Himachal Pradesh. spring up in the largest Indian cities as well. sports brands, including Salomon for out-
It was opened by Jean-Luc Jubert, a French- door products.
man who offers trekking packages as well Earlier this year Planet Sports even teamed
as climbing lessons and services to the safe- up with Adventure 18, a small-time inde-
ty industry. His store sells a raft of outdoor pendent outdoor retailer in Delhi, who was
brands such as Béal, Camp and La Sportiva asked to supply products for the outdoor
some of the products be rented by tourists corners of Planet Sports stores. This could
as well. be regarded as a breakthrough, bringing
Distributors point out that the assortment outdoor products into shopping malls and
of these stores has increased a lot in the to many thousands of Indian consumers
last years. “ Only a few years ago most of who would never see them otherwise (even
their offers consisted of cheap Indian stuff the shop assistants giggled at the suggesti-
and left-over international products that on that outdoor camping could be a stimu-
were imported in a haphazard way”, said lating form of leisure).
Hemant Sachdev the general manager of
Chogori India, the most established out- Adjusting the pricing
door distributor in the country. “But nowa-
days most of their products are imported Ravdeep Singh, the chief executive of Pla-
and reasonably up to date”. net Sports, admits that awareness remains
Sachdev discovered outdoor activities as a low and that the outdoor market is hin-
Adventure 18 is one of the few specialist retailers in
student and obtained deals with a flurry of Indian cities, with two stores in Delhi and Mumbai.
dered by heavy import duties. “We only sell
brands, from Mountain Hardwear to Black Salomon’s outdoor footwear because the
Diamond, Scarpa, Julbo, Béal and more. The leading specialist so far is Wildcraft, an duties are too high on apparel and it would
Furthermore, he has a license with Crocs Indian brand and retailer that is becoming be hard to explain the price to the consu-
which constitutes the largest part of his well-known among Indias youth. mers anyway,” he said.
business. Operating with five sales people, Another retailer that has caught the trend >
Watch the awakening of an outdoor market which offers widescreen panoramas to consumers and a few business opportunities for retailers. © Rimo Expeditions
31 markets : denmark

3. Unknown Indian outdoor arena: Few people realise that a large part of the Himalayas is in India. Among the most © Rimo Expeditions
This is exactly what Décathlon, the French in India. Counterfeit products are easy to ing demand in the Indian outdoor market.
sports retailer, has been learning in India. It find, mostly smuggled into the country After all, as they like to quip in India, the
opened its first store in Bangalore almost from Nepal. Not to mention all sorts of country’s growth mostly happens at night
two years ago with the tagline “Play More” other hurdles, such as the appalling state of when government officials are asleep.
painted brightly on the store front. A few transport infrastructure and products get-
months later “Pay Less” was added to the ting stuck in customs for months without Barbara Smit
slogan as the retail managers found out any valid reason (until one suggests a soluti-
that the price structure of the Indian mar- on involving a contribution to the personal
ket was adapted to low buying power. welfare of customs officers).
Since then Décathlon has been trying to Partly due to such inertia, the Indian out-
find more local manufacturers for its Que- door market remains vastly under-develo-
chua private label to escape hefty import ped in relation to the size of its population
duties and offer more attractive prices. Dé- and the fabulous attractions of its lands-
cathlon has to operate on a cash-and-carry capes. The ongoing conflict with Pakistan
basis since Indian regulations still prevent over the Kashmir border stunts the growth
direct foreign investment in integrated re- of tourism in that stupendous region. And
tailing. it still takes long and uncomfortable travels
Wildcraft: the only specialist outdoor brand and retail
to reach resorts like Leh, often used to start
chain in India.
Distribution hurdles exploring Ladakh.
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Regional airports have been planned which
For all the exposure of the Indian market will open up entire new parts of the coun-
certain issues remain a huge hindrance for try for outdoor activities in Uttarakhand
business in the country. Although import and Sikkim. Yet still, as is often the case in
duties have have significantly reduced wi- India, improvements in the country’s out-
thin the last few years they are still high door infrastructure and business are mostly
for many outdoor apparel products, and it driven by savvy businessmen like Chewang
© Wildcraft
remains tough to find manufacturers who Motup who are rapidly setting up camps,
may supply technical outdoor products activities and stores to cater for the grow-
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4. India’s player in the outdoor market
When Dinesh Kaigonhalli and his friends another 20 by next March. Selling only a
started heading out to the mountains in few other brands, such as Quechua and
the eighties they often struggled to find Victorinox, these stores make up about
reliable equipment in India. They the- 40% of the brand’s sales, which reached
refore decided to make their own and the equivalent of $5.5 million for the full
ended up launching their own brand, year ended in March 2011.
Wildcraft, which has turned into a fast- Wildcraft has been buoyed by the ap-
growing specialist brand. peal of adventure travels among Indian
Based in a bustling street in Bangalore, youth. About 65% of its sales come from
Wildcraft is the only Indian outdoor daypacks used by students, most of which
brand recognised by urban consumers. probably do not venture beyond the city.
Starting with backpacks seven years ago, Another 25% of sales sales are made
it has widened its range to include tents made by outdoor equipment, while the
and apparel, and is preparing to launch remainder comes from apparel and acces-
footwear – all with the right mix of func- sories.
The Indian outdoor market is amply covered in
tional products at relatively cheap prices. For all these ranges, Wildcraft has mana-
a detailed report published by the Federation
“The brand has taken off and we have ged to establish itself as a reliable and
of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA) about
been struggling to satisfy demand in In- affordable brand. Once it has built up ca-
the Indian sporting goods market, detailing
dia,” said Gaurav Dublish, director at pacity at its plant in Himachal Pradesh it
aspects from sports participation to supply
Wildcraft. The company has a large pro- could even start exporting to other coun-
chain, distribution strategies, consumer beha-
duction unit in Bangalore, but it had to tries with climates comparable to India,
viour and retail structure. This unprecedented
open another manufacturing plant in Hi- like Singapore and the Middle East.
research report of more than 300 pages was
machal Pradesh in April last year.
compiled by EDM Publications, the company
Wildcraft had about 30 stores at the be- -bs-
behind The Outdoor Industry Compass, the
ginning of this year and intends to open
business newsletter for the European outdoor
industry. Check it out at the Compass stand in
Foyer West.
00 markets : denmark