Simba Toys eyeing 15% of organised Indian toy market

Aiming to garner around 15 per cent of the Rs 600-crore organised toy market in India, German toy-maker Simba Toys is planning to add another 30-40 stores in the country.
"We are looking to add between 30-40 stores in the next one year. Currently, we would be around 7 per cent of the organised market and will capture 15 per cent in the next two years," Narayan Sabharwal, Business Head, Simba Toys India, told PTI.
Already having 23 stores across the country, it has now ventured in West Bengal by opening two new stores in Siliguri through the franchisee route.

He said the company will expanding its reach in other parts of eastern India and discussions are on for opening stores in Kolkata, Guwahati, Patna, and Rourkela.
Simba already has presence in Bhubhaneshwar and Jamshedpur.
"The objective behind launching our stores in Siliguri is to take quality products closer to the parents in tier 2 cities and make them aware about safer toys for their kids," Sabharwal said.

The domestic toy market is estimated to be about Rs 3,000 crore, of which the organised market is just about Rs 600 crore.
With a wide range of products like cotoons, RC cars, Majorette and licensed merchandise cars, Simba's products are meant for all age groups from 0-99 years.

On the safety aspect of toys, he said products comply with the European safety standards.
"They are all EN-71 certified which means that our toys pass the noise, choking, lead and other toxic test, strangulation hazards etc and so are absolutely safe for kids," the company official said.