Portico to open 20 EBOs, 100 shop-in-shops by 2011

MUMBAI:
With a view to tap the healthy growth potential in the bed-and-bath segment,
leading home textile player, Creative Portico, is planning to open 100
shop-in-shop outlets and 20 Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) by 2011, a senior
company official said.

“We are strongly focussing on the bed-and-bath
furnishing segment that is growing at 20 per cent presently and to tap this
potential we will be opening around 20 EBOs and 100 shop-in-shops,” Creative
Portico’s Senior General Manager (Retail and Marketing), Chandan S, said here
today.

The company launched its first EBO – Portico New York- in
suburban Bandra here while it has 170 shop-in-shops across the country
presently.

The company would be investing around Rs 20 lakh per EBO,
Chandan added.

Going forward, Creative also plans to open 4-5
flagship stores in major metros while it targets entry into Tier II cities in
the next 2-3 years.

Portico, which has a 10 per cent share in the Rs
900 crore nascent organised bed-and-bath market, feels there is a huge potential
in this segment as it is an inexpensive method of changing the decor of a
room.

Portico, which is growing at a rate of 50 per cent
year-on-year, targets a Rs 90 crore revenue this fiscal as against Rs 65-crore
in FY 09.

Creative Portico, the wholly-owned subsidiary of leading
garment exporter Creative Group, deals in three categories namely, portico
regular range, kids range and has recently stepped into promoting healthy living
through its Therapeia range of products, all ranging from Rs 600 to
10,000.

Therapeia range has products like i-bedding (treated with
negative ion technology, soya bean quilts (natural fibre duvet), anti-mite and
bite pillows and eco pillows.

Besides, Creative Portico has an
exclusive agreement with Tommy Hilfiger to make premium home furnishings in the
country.