Fashionable strings of franchise success

To match the international quality and standards and for timely delivery of products, Dhananjai Apparels Pvt. Ltd came into existence and took to franchise route for expansion. In an interview, the Ansul Agarwal, MD, Dhananjai Apparels Pvt. Ltd shares the successful voyage and future plans of the company.

Ramanjit Kaur (RK): Shed some light on the inception, growth and success of Dhananjai Apparels Pvt. Ltd?

Ansul Agarwal (AA):  Dhananjai Apparels was incorporated in 1977 in Kolkata. The company manufactures exclusive range of garments for men and kids. In-depth understanding of the industry and market needs, a competent team and an excellent infrastructure makes us one of the most reputed and reliable garment-supplier. We are one of the major players in the readymade garment industry. We have a heritage of leadership to honor and preserve. We lead the industry by manufacturing the best suitable products like t-shirts, tracks, shorts, denims, shirts and cargoes for men and kids.

RK: What inspired Dhananjai Apparels Pvt. Ltd to take the franchise route for expansion?

AA: High acceptance in the trade and in large formats motivated us to take franchise route to expand the business in India.

RK: What is the USP of Dhananjai Apparels Pvt. Ltd? How it is different from other players in the sector?

AA: We are unique as we have specialisation in manufacturing kids and men's apparels in knits and woven. We have a full fledged in-house design team that creates and develops exciting collections each season. Apart from these, we provide high quality at highly affordable prices.

RK: Which brands does the company cater to?

AA: Besides E-teenz, we also deal in ‘Popeye’. With these brands, we want the consumer to get world class quality, design, comfort fit and style at a price that every one can afford.

RK: What are the eligibility criteria for selecting the franchisees for the company?

AA: We are looking at aspirants who are financially strong, have business acumen, a suitable shop in the mall or in the hyper street and ready to invest and work as per company’s policies.

RK: What kind of training and support does a franchisee gets after partnering with Dhananjai Apparels Pvt. Ltd?

AA: We provide all the necessary help to our franchisees in establishing the franchise business. We offer full product and marketing training, which is an ongoing process till the association with a franchisee lasts.

RK: How many franchised outlets does the company has at present and how many more are expected in the coming years?

AA: Presently, we are operating through eight franchised outlets and have plans to take this count to 20 by March 2011.

RK: Have you faced any challenges while establishing your business? If yes, what were they and how did you overcome those challenges?

AA: We faced a number of challenges especially during the early years of our business establishment. We experienced problems in fulfilling production requirements, efficient manpower and tough competition from other established players in the form of heavy discounts offered by them.

RK: Any advice for the aspiring entrepreneurs?

AA: Believe in yourself and understand that there is no shortcut to success except for hard work.