Timberland eyes come back in India through Reliance AJIO platform

New Delhi: Timberland, an American outdoor footwear and apparel brand, is back with Reliance Retail, as it now features on the catalogue of its fashion e-tail platform AJIO.

Earlier, Timberland had to close its retail stores across India in 2015 due to stiff competition in the local market and conflict with a similar local brand Woodland.

The Timberland Company, a subsidiary of US-based VF Corporation, and Woodland, which also has a tree logo, were engaged in litigation over intellectual property, as the two have identical logos and products.

On Monday, in its earnings statement, Reliance Industries said: "AJIO has been strengthening its portfolio through new brand launches like ASOS, H&M, Timberland, to name a few".

Reliance Brands, a step-down unit of Reliance Retail, had a distribution and licensee agreement with Timberland in 2009.

Last month, Reliance Retail announced bringing Swedish fast fashion major H&M's products on its platform.

Moreover, Reliance Retail also announced to scale up the quick-commerce like other retailers and FMCG companies, which are witnessing fast growth from this hyperlocal delivery format.

"JioMart is scaling up quick commerce pilot by serving customers through own store network," it said.

Besides, Reliance Retail is further strengthening its position in the F&B portfolio, with the addition of Armani Cafe, based on the finest Italian fine dining concept, in Mumbai's Jio World Plaza.

"Premium Brands business launched its first Armani Cafe to further strengthen its F&B portfolio," it said.

Reliance already operates 18 stores of Pret A Manger, the UK-based popular freshly made food and organic coffee chain.