Retail sector continues to thrive in Lahore

Many apparel brands are witnessing double-digit growth

LAHORE: Economists and the government may disagree on how well Pakistan has fared, but one thing is certain - the country’s retail sector has been an outlier in terms of performance and growth.

In the last decade, the sector has seen exponential growth in terms of sales, consumer interest and profits with some attributing the change to the marketing teams’ ability to morph an outlet into a retail brands.



Breakout, an apparel brand that started in 2010, has expanded to 13 cities with over 77 outlets.

According to its management, double-digit growth is being witnessed in their business every year.

“We don’t have time to consider launching ourselves outside Pakistan; the domestic market is growing rapidly,” said Imran Ghani, chief executive officer, in an interview with The Express Tribune.

The brand caters to men, women and more recently, kids wear in Pakistan.

The company’s latest project, East Breakout, focuses on displaying its lawn designs in addition to showcasing eastern menswear.

Pakistan’s booming retail sector

 

“I started with almost one-tenth of the required capital, however, after six months I partnered with two other investors and formed a consortium to pursue my growth plans,” he said.

Ghani said the retail sector in Pakistan has undergone a transformation in the past few years, with the mall culture taking over outlets in isolation.

“Lahore still has to observe the true retail and shopping culture shift. But it will happen once the mega malls under construction get operational. In future large scale shopping malls will represent the retails sector.



“Additionally the influx of e-commerce will change things and it will be hard for small and medium scale shops to sustain in the future.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2016.

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