2021-05-28 12:57:12
*From South India to the world*
Walkaroo started its journey from South India and has gradually expanded to other parts of the country and the world. Although South India continues to remain its biggest market, the tables are turning, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before COVID-19, 70 percent of the company’s clientele came from South India and 10 percent demand came from the rest of India. However, after the pandemic, Noushad says the company has witnessed a lot of demand from other regions.
“Annually, South India is growing by 10 percent whereas North India is growing by 30 percent approximately.”
Walkaroo has also expanded in the global market over the years, and has a presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, and a few Gulf countries as well.
The company set up a manufacturing unit in Bangladesh in February to expand its presence in the global market, especially the South Asian market.
Walkaroo
An aatmanirbhar footwear industry
Aatmanirbhar Bharat may have become the buzzword now, but there have been conversations around the idea for a while.
Noushad recalls an interesting incident. He says he was attending an event in 2010 where an American was showing some data related to the global footwear industry.
“China topped every data chart. When he asked who would be next to China in coming times, I passionately said India would become a leader in the footwear industry!”
The American said that this might not be the case. “He believed that we lacked operational efficiency, manufacturing capabilities and design development needed to compete with China,” Noushad reminisces.
Noushad may have been disappointed by the gentleman’s response, but feels he was not entirely wrong. “Indian entrepreneurs want to bring technology to enhance their businesses but are taking too long; China is using this opportunity,” he says.
He says the Indian footwear industry is largely dominated by unorganised players who are “hesitant to leverage technology” – this could also be helping China do better.
India’s footwear industry is highly unorganised with nearly 15,000 micro and small industries, according to the Council for Footwear, Leather & Accessories (CFLA).
Stating that companies need to become operationally strong before becoming digitally strong, Noushad says Walkaroo has tried to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to leveraging technology and increasing operational efficiencies. To this end, they have implemented SAP, ensured sales automation, and taken the omnichannel route.
Apart from launching its own website, Walkaroo listed itself on ecommerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and a few others in 2019. However, Noushad maintains that it is not a digital-first brand.
A solution-oriented approach
COVID-19 has been difficult for the company and the entire team.
However, Noushad has a different take on dealing with adversities. “I see a lot of people blaming the government and other external aspects. However, we are entrepreneurs. We don’t have the right to complain. We have to find solutions ourselves.”
Noushad says three things are important to overcome any adversity in a business cycle: adaptability, improving efficiency, and constantly learning to keep up with market trends.
In the present time, people are buying simple and casual wear, and demand for luxury goods has gone down. This is why the company is focusing on the production of this category of footwear.
Noushad is optimistic about the future of this sector. According to numbers released by Invest India, India’s footwear industry contributes two percent to the country’s overall GDP, and India is one of the global leaders in this segment alongside China, Vietnam and Indonesia.
“We are is working on strengthening the brand’s presence in the Indian as well as the international market,” Noushad says.
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