New Delhi: Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group’s retail arm Tablez on Wednesday said the company is set to rebrand Toys“R”Us stores it operates in India. This comes a day after Flipkart’s wholesale entity, along with technology firm Ace Turtle, announced plans to sell Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us brands online in the country after acquiring licensing rights for the same.
Tablez is in the process of rebranding existing stores while converting them into a new kids and baby retail format. Brand name of the new format will be unveiled in the next couple of weeks.
“The new brand will not only match the global standards but also will be a one-stop destination for leading international toy brands, it will offer an array of products, including baby essentials, stationery, apparel,” the company said in an e-mailed response.
In October 2017, Toys“R”Us entered India with Tablez India that worked as its exclusive master franchisee to open stores in the country.
Tablez runs 15 toy stores in malls located in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ghaziabad, Pune, and Chennai.
The company is bullish on India’s toy market. It plans to add another six toy stores by the end of Q1 2022 under the new format.
“Having invested over ₹300 crore in the Indian retail market, we at Tablez are especially bullish about the prospects of India’s toy sector and will be furthering our investments in the sector, in line with our vision to innovate value and deliver world-class experiences to the Indian consumer,” Adeeb Ahamed, managing director, Tablez India, said.
Tablez, which holds the India franchise rights for several international brands, currently operates 55 brand stores in India across food and beverage, toys, and apparel retail. It plans to expand the number to 250 over the next five years.
Its portfolio comprises Cold Stone Creamery, apparel brand Desigual and toy brand Build-A-Bear, among others.
On Tuesday, Flipkart Group’s wholesale entity, along with Ace Turtle announced that a joint venture company set up by the two acquired licensing rights to sell toy brand Toys“R”Us and baby and toddler brand Babies“R”Us online in India. The move will help the two retail toys and baby products through online sellers in India.
Ahamed said Tablez will develop the new brand both via offline and online stores.
“The Indian toy market is evolving fast, and our investments into technology and user experience have enabled us to get a deeper understanding of the Indian consumer,” he said.
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