The clothing company also seeks to double the 40 points of sale it has in the Mexican Republic in the next 10 years, through its new concept of Le Club stores.
Lacoste plans to produce in Mexico to reduce costs and streamline product delivery, as well as open units under a new concept, shared Eduardo Araiza, new general manager of the French brand in the country.
“We are developing a strategy to search for local suppliers, to have more affordable prices, and we are close to starting production in the country … There has been a significant generational change in the manufacturing base of the country and today you can find product made in Mexico with quality that competes with what he had manufactured in markets such as Asia or South America, “said the executive in an interview with Forbes Mexico.
The company expects to manufacture 20% of its sales in the national territory by 2020, initially for the Mexican market and then for the Latin American and US markets. And it is in analysis of the place where production will begin.
“It’s to have a more agile reaction capacity that allows us to have products in shorter times. It is a matter of quality and competitive costs … but the most important are the response times, because bringing products from Asia implies processes that can be speeded up if local suppliers are developed, “he added.
In turn, the company seeks to double the 40 points of sale it has in the Mexican Republic in the next 10 years, through its new concept of Le Club stores, which is inspired by the dressing rooms of the 20s, in times in which he trained Monsieur René Lacoste, creator of the brand and French tennis player.
Mexico is the third place in the world where stores of this concept are opened, within the Artz Pedregal shopping center, as well as in Chihuahua, a remodeling in Guadalajara and a corner inside the Palacio de Hierro de Perisur.
For the short term, it is expected to open one more unit in Monterrey, in the Punto Valle plaza, as well as in Explanada Pachuca, in the Queretaro outlet and south of Mexico City. The opening model is through franchises and own, depending on each region of the country.
Therefore, investments of approximately 20 million pesos (mdp) are expected for 2019 for remodeling and opening of own units, to which the capital allocated by commercial partners will be added.
“For some years we decided to invest in Mexico through a joint venture (co-investment) with who was their distributor. We have made various restructures to bring the brand closer, which has a good position in the country and gives the board in France the possibility of continuing to invest in the national market, “commented Araiza.
Source: Forbes
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