 All right, welcome to this continued discussion, the series of discussion that we're doing, which is called Exchange for Media and then Baskar brings together this series which focuses on how non-Metros are driving the next phase of growth in India. And we talk about a whole lot of things, Metros versus non-Metros, we talk about, we visit 2020, we see how new trends have emerged over the last 10 months plus. So today we have a very special guest with us. We have Mr. Harkir Yat Singh, who is the managing director of Woodland. He's gonna join us and talk about the same aspect about how the entire premise of the drivers of growth has shifted gradually from Metros to Non-Metros. Welcome, sir, to this discussion. Thank you so much. I remember meeting you one and a half year before and today again, I mean, we're connecting virtually. A lot of change has happened in the last 11 months as we all know. So I want to just ask you my first question that we have seen festive season giving some hope to brands. How did it play out for Woodland and what was the uptake scene in Q3 compared to the early part of 2020? Definitely, everybody knows during the lockdown period and all the retail was shut. Everything was shut. Even the online business was shut. So it was not only in India pan, it was worldwide. So of course, during those months, the business was totally dead because we are into non-essential products. As a brand is mainly outdoor brand and lifestyle brand where we are doing shoes and garments and everything. So of course, the business all started was like in late September, when things started rolling out, stores started opening. So slowly and gradually we started opening stores because there was hardly any footfall in the market. So it was not before the season starts when you're saying the festive season with Diwali coming in, that we saw some movement in the stores. People, actually they were scared to come out and so we could see some people trickling in the stores. Of course, we were ready with our merchandise because we have a summer line and a winter line. So summer season was almost wash out because there was hardly any sales. So we had planned our winters of course in time and of course we normally calculate our numbers based on last year sales. This year we could not take that because we were very sure that we will not be able to do the numbers which we did last year which was an extremely good year last year. So the winters was very good for us and we being into functional clothing, jackets, boots and all which go very well for outdoors and especially for winters. So our winter line is normally very extensive. So this time we were very cautious about ordering new range and how much we have to order. But of course, luckily with the coming of the season and with the festive coming in and winter was pretty good. Especially in North India even now there's a good spell of winter. So the business was very brisk and yes, definitely it was better than what was expected because we actually had not expected this financial year to actually do much of business because there was a lot of uncertainty. People didn't know really whether this virus is going to come back or how soon the vaccination is going to come in. So there were a lot of questions and nobody was able to answer to that. So everybody was speculating. So we definitely did better business than what we expected. Right, right. And sort of Woodland being a brand that is truly pan India and it has metros, non metros all over the very well known across. Tell me, when you see this, when we talk about non metros in the last 10 months in your view, how have they contributed in the recovery phase? See, we've always been an urban brand. We normally sell a lot in the metros and definitely a lot of our people are the people who are traveling and trekkers to travel was almost closed. So as you know, all travel, whether it's air travel or whatever, till now it's not really there. So it also resonates with non metros. I mean, of course it's an urban based brand, but I'm sure there are a lot of people I have seen stores out in non metros which sell Woodland. We have stores in pan India and we have stores in practically all the cities, major cities, of course not. Absolutely. Rural belt, we are not there in tier three cities, but tier two, we are covered. Significant. Even tier three, we are covered with retailers who are multi brand retailers. Right. You might not have a store there which is an exclusive Woodland store, but we'll have some retailers selling some part of Woodland collection over there. So of course the sales have contributed from the non metros also. And smaller towns also. And of course more so because the pandemic was not really majorly hit in these smaller towns because of course, when you talk about Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, these cities are overpopulated and so people who are really very worried about going out. But in the smaller cities people did come out and of course because they're not too many of markets where they can go. So the growth was in fact faster recovery in those smaller towns than the metros. Right. See it's the consumer sentiment and behavior has also changed in the last 10 plus months. In your view, are these shifting behaviors becoming permanent part of the consumer journey? Do you see them or do you just see them as a response to this crisis and it will come back to where it was before? This is like for all your consumers who are in metros and non metros. Do you see this shift as permanent shift? See, we cannot deny that there's no shift. There is a shift and because the lifestyle has changed many times like the masks and the sanitizers and like all these hygiene products have come out and especially the products which we do like anti-microbe and all our technologies whether it's wherever we are talking about hygiene technical products, they have become more important now. People are going in for technical products and they are more concerned about the health first. But of course, if you see every brand has its own core. Woodland has its own, mainly our core is on adventure, outdoor, lifestyle. So of course our products are based on that. So people know us because of that. So when it comes to rugged boots and waterproof jacket so we are the only stores where people think of coming first. So that will remain the same but of course there will be some added lines because during this crisis period people were definitely spending lesser and they were going cheaper products and they were working from home. So they didn't really want to have dress shoes and formal shoes. So for a while, yes, the change was there and is there and I think it will continue to be there for some time but the main products which are being sold will also be sold because like during the festive period or the marriage season which is very big in India like formal shoes and formal shoes will definitely sell. So, but the numbers of course, like now since the parties are much smaller the marriages people are limited to go to just a few numbers. So people are not buying so much. So of course to come back to a normal it might take a year or something like that but of course we also have come out with new products like we have a big range of masks we have other technical products which we brought in and which are also selling. So they have added up to the line but our basic line remains there. Right. So as you rightly mentioned Woodland has resonance with travel and adventure largely but in the last few months we haven't seen that happen. So tell me if I have to ask you that if you look at the six months window last six months what kind of products have driven growth for Woodland? We've always been an outdoor brand. So of course, you know like our boots are definitely meant for going outdoors on the hills or you know where you're going, you know trekking or something like that but of course our shoes are also for the daily use. So, you know people who like this lifestyle they buy our shoes not only just for going outdoor but for the day-to-day life also. So our range still you know the main sellers are jackets which are selling very well during these winters because they are you know like down filled jackets that there are a lot of technologies in the jackets. They are organic products which are selling very well. Our shoes and boots are always you know in short supply. So of course our main lines are still going to be the same and they are still growing but of course the numbers are as I told you know we didn't expect too much numbers because the basic footfall in the stores or the customers buying is lesser right now. So when that comes to a normal so we expect you know our main lines to be selling the more. Of course we've come out with some leisure products and we've come out with products which are like athelisure because people go on into you know like more of fitness now. So you know we've gotten shoes which are fitness shoes and you know like which can be used for walking or jogging or sports. So that line has also added in our line but I won't be able to say that they will be the main drivers now. The main drivers will still be the classics and definitely these product lines will add on to that and probably in a later stage they will also grow. Right, tell me what were some of the changes that woodland undertook in the past year which would yield results hopefully this year? I mean were there any big changes that you made to adjust to the situation? See when this period was there of this crisis, the pandemic so you know like first of all the main thing was how to survive because when all your stores are closed all the businesses closed, factories are closed. So you first of all you look for you know how to start and you know what to start. You know so the best thing which came out was that we had a lot of these stores or factories which were probably you know like we were running them because you know they were there but we didn't really need them because we could have done without them also. So you know we curtailed a lot of such works which were not adding value to our whole organization. So most cuttings were there you know. So I think that gave us you know that trimmed the whole system and made it more efficient. So we are now much more efficient and now I think we are very clear about how to go about it. So I think that was a cross for all the companies which they all try to cut costs and all. So that was the biggest thing which we could do and then of course we also focused on our as I told you on our core lines we know you know which are our best sellers and you know even if I would have taken a risk during that time and planned more production I would have only gone in for the product which I'm dead sure that I won't be you know left over with inventories for that you know. So we focused on those particular products and lines which we could take a risk you know and of course we are glad we did that because things got better faster and all our stocks which we had made during those times and planned those times those are now selling and we are at least not short of stocks. Right. Rightly said I think this has been a period of rethink and re-strategizing. Tell me Mr. Singh how do you see the demand curve in the coming months? Especially if we talk about non-match rules. What we see is definitely you know things are getting better and we feel you know like the growth part is there and we are of course we are planning new stores also we are you know always in look out for newer stores and especially in the cities which we are not present. So of course the growth will not be at the speed of the we used to do earlier but of course very cautiously but of course there are a lot of stores which were in the pipeline and we had plans to open these areas and since India is a big country and especially the smaller towns are the drivers for the growth. So we are already very well covered in the markets in the metros. So we are looking forward where which new states especially we feel you know like in the North because as I told you we are more of a winter products are very strong. So we are going in for opening stores in some of these cities, towns in the North as well as the South which is a very strong market for us. That was my next question you answered it right. Great North and South, great. Tell me, so we are all in the recovery phase till the economy is trying to live back to normalcy. Are you bracing for some new challenges as a brand? You see first of all you know one of the biggest learning of this period was that we strengthened our online business you know because you know definitely when people were scared to come to the stores the only possibility to sell was through online. So with all our partners like Amazon Flipkart and Mintra and of course with our own website we did a lot, we made all our stores on the channel and the sales which are coming from the online business is much higher than earlier. And since we as I told you we've made all our stores on the channel means every stock in every store whether it is in the remotest area of maybe Kerala or in Assam you know those stocks are also available to customers throughout India. So all the stocks are listed and I think this we feel is going to be the future because we are spending a lot on our technology and IT to strengthen our online business much more. And of course you know the store growth especially in this we've got a lot of customer base from the smaller towns also you know because those people were having no access to the store. So definitely you know they had an opportunity to buy online. So I think that is a very big change which we did in this case. Right, my final question is about 2021 a lot of hope on this brand's placing a lot of positive sentiment because the vaccine is around. Tell me in terms of revenue how do you see FY21 ending compared to last year? Compared to last year we actually can't even compare you know like six months more than six months just went without any business. So you know like even if we are able to right now the stores are achieving almost about 60 to 70% of the sales which if we compare to last year. So you know like even if we achieve say about 60 to 70% of last year business it will be a very good target to keep. I think we're moving towards that and we'll be very happy if we can achieve that much. Right, thank you Mr. Singh for joining us and sharing your thoughts. It's been great talking to you and learning about the new markets that you're planning to go into and the way you've responded to this crisis. Thank you once again for joining me.