Running for top spot, Asics eyes Nike and Adidas turf in India

It has charted an ambitious target. Japanese premium sports goods giant Asics — which sells 75 per cent of its shoes in the country at over ₹12,000 a pair — wants to be the No. 1 running shoe player in the $90-a-pair organised market in India, currently dominated by Nike, Adidas and Puma. To do so, it is making an aggressive push into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, where customers are ready to lap them up — as well as setting up company-owned stores in four to five locations across key metros.

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

Says Rajat Khurana, managing director of Asics India: "We are currently the No. 4 player in the market for running shoes priced at $90 and above, which accounts for 60 per cent of our business. In the next four to five years, we will be the No. 1 player in this segment. Competition has the advantage of being in India longer, with higher volumes. But we are already quite close to crossing No. 3."