The Entertainer inks master franchise deal with Reliance Brands to enter the Indian market

UK-based toy retailer The Entertainer has signed a master franchise agreement with Reliance Brands Limited to foray into the Indian market.

With this agreement, RBL will be opening The Entertainer stores in Mumbai in the first half of 2020 followed up by an aggressive store roll-out plan. 

Gary Grant, Co-Founder of The Entertainer, said, “We’re delighted to announce our partnership with Reliance Brands Limited, bringing The Entertainer to India. We believe that our community-based stores, offering the very best brands and licenses at fantastic value price points, are a great fit for the market.”

“India is a key priority as we continue our international expansion and Reliance Brands are a highly professional and dedicated team with extensive retail knowledge and experience.  We’re looking forward to working with them and to bringing all the fun of The Entertainer to India,” Grant added.

Tapping the toy market in India

The partnership with Reliance Brands is part of the brand’s strategy to tap into the booming Indian market. The Entertainer will bring to the country a selection of action toys & figures, soft toys, art & craft sets, games & jigsaws, outdoor toys, collectible toy items and more, including their private label brand Addo.

Started in 1981, The Entertainer is currently the largest family-owned chain of toy shops in the UK, with a total of 172 stores.

Kinjal Shah, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands, stated, “We are thrilled to be introducing The Entertainer to India. The Indian toy industry is growing at a healthy pace and is currently missing a retailer with a next door ‘community-led’ shopping experience, a gap that The Entertainer can fill effortlessly along with their exceptional in-store experience and strong Omnichannel strategy.”

“Additionally, the unique proposition of The Entertainer will be their value price points across diverse multi-brand assortment, with a very strong private brand play,” Shah further stated.

Growing toy segment

In India, toy trends are influenced by the growing level of education. Nowadays, more and more parents are starting to give preference to educational toys in a bid to promote learning by playing for their children.

There is also an increasing demand for toys like action figures, plush toys, puzzles, sports equipment and pre-school products due to a rise in consumer spending. Another factor that is prompting the growth in the market includes the increasing sales of toys and games based on cartoon characters, TV shows, and movies.

Over the past few years, intensive advertising for the launch of new products has led to greater brand awareness. In line with this, the demand for branded toys amongst Indians has been growing, especially global brands. Next to international brands, franchise stores are an important factor in the Indian toy sector.