Abercrombie inks franchise deal to enter India with stores, e-commerce sites

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is entering one of fastest growing markets in the world.

The apparel retailer has entered into a multi-year, franchise partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private, Ltd. to expand the global reach of its brands. Myntra, considered one of India’s leading players in the fashion and lifestyle space, is part of the Flipkart Group.

As part of the agreement, Myntra’ business-to-business wholesale entity will build a brick-and-mortar retail store presence in the country, regional e-commerce sites and branded digital storefronts operated by a network of licensed and independent third parties.

“With the strength of A&F Co.’s brands today, we are thrilled to partner with Myntra Jabong to more deeply engage with new and existing customers in India. It’s an incredibly dynamic and diverse market, and one where we see tremendous long-term potential as we continue to pursue global brand growth,” said Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz. “Staying close to our customers and putting them at the center of everything we do has been the foundation of our transformation and the key to our success in recent years. In Myntra Jabong, we have found a like-minded partner whose expertise and capabilities will allow us to go to market with these same strategies in India.”