Merida Enters Indian Market

NEW DELHI, India - The first Merida flagship store has opened its doors in New Delhi. “Our target is to open at least 25 Merida stores in the next 2 years,” says Ashwath Kapur, Merida distributor. The average price of the Merida sold is INR 15,000 (€ 300) and the most expensive bike has a tag of INR 26,000 (€ 500).

Ashwath Kapur’s is busy planning the next flagship store in nearby Gurgoan (near Delhi). This is the hub of the call centre business in North India. The next venue is targeting the young technicians working in call centre’s earning, compared to the average Indian, fat salaries.

Those buyers are looking for different bike products but were uptil now confronted with the most conservative frontiers of the Indian two-wheeler industry, the bicycle sector. No one in India has ever thought in their wildest dreams that foreign bicycle brands would actually be available in this price sensitive market. But times are changing and the first hi-priced Merida range has successfully entered the market.

“India is a fast emerging market for hi-end bikes, though we are a bit apprehensive about launching the hi-priced Merida range in the Indian market initially. The early response was really enthusiastic. Now, not only the Indian consumer has the power to buy such a hi-end bike but to our utter surprise most of them are familiar with the brand,” said Ashwath Kapur. “After all India has the world’s fastest growing middle class.”

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