Weekender grows up: kids’ brand now courts adults

Weekender, the apparel brand from the 90s catering to children is changing its position to regain lost glory and capture a new target group. The company believes this initiative will help in profit-making.

Weekender, the apparel brand from the 90s catering to children is changing its position to regain lost glory and capture a new target group. The company believes this initiative will help in profit-making.

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Weekender, which recently increased product prices by 25 per cent, is looking to raise volumes. “India is mostly a market for the mass premium segment. Our aim is to quadruple volumes from the current one million units in two years,” said V. Balaji Bhat, chief executive officer and managing director, Primus Retail. Primus Retail bought the Weekender brand from Bangalore-based Gokaldas Images in 2007.

Despite the kids segment being an attractive destination for retailers, Weekender was unable to rope in new customers in the last few years. “There was intense competition from multiple players and somehow we could not catch up,” said Bhat.

Earlier the brand was operating in the organised segment — estimated to be around Rs 1,000 crore — where brands such as Catmoss, Gini and Jony, Liliput, and others had already establised foothold.

Weekender now caters to the kids segment (2-12 years) and the adult segment (20-30 years). It retails products, in the mass premium segment with average price around Rs 800, from its 65 standalone stores and is looking to add 200 more stores in the next one-and-a-half-years.

The company is strong in the Northern belt and is now looking to expand with special focus on the north-eastern belt.