MUMBAI (CU)_Puma India is the Asian division of major sports brand Puma. Headquartered in India, the syndicate conducts operations in 19 other countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. The apparel company is looking to expand its operations in the region with its latest store opened in partnership with Sonee Sports.
Sonee Sports is a sports and lifestyle marketplace based in Maldives, with which Puma India collaborated to open its first store in the island nation. The move is aimed at expanding Puma’s offline retail presence, as the multinational sportswear designer looks to explore sports clubs, ecommerce and other distribution channels in Maldives. “Maldives is coming up strongly as a travel destination, especially post-Covid. The number of resorts has swelled up over the years and the tourist-friendly economy has prompted good demand and consumption of global brands,” Puma India Executive Director of Sales & Operations, Atul Bajaj, said. “We are excited to expand our presence in this country.”
Puma India’s first store in the Maldives is located in the iconic shopping street of Majeedhee Magu, in the country’s capital Male. The new two-storied store was set up as a one-stop destination not only for the growing local football and futsal community, but also for tourists and fashion enthusiasts. “Maldives is also maturing rapidly as a football and futsal playing nation, indicating a real passion for sports. In Sonee Sports, we have found an experienced partner with a strong background of driving sports and lifestyle business in Male,” Bajaj added.
With Puma India having cemented its leading position in India’s sports and lifestyle market, Sonee Sports’ managing director Ahmed Kaleem is of the view that the company will play a critical role in improving the lives of sportsmen and fitness enthusiasts in Maldives as well. “At Sonee Sports, we aim to continuously present our customers with bigger, better brands,” Kaleem said. “We are pleased to introduce Puma, one of the leading and fastest-growing sports brands in the world. As our focus remains on improving the lives of sportsmen and fitness enthusiasts on and off the field, we are confident that Puma fits like a glove.”
