The Athlete’s Foot has formalized an agreement with Alye Parusa of Moscow to become The Athlete’s Foot’s master franchisee for the Russian Federation. The Athlete’s Foot projects a minimum of 40 store openings in the region over the course of the 10-year agreement, initially concentrated in Moscow before expanding into the Russian Federation, which includes St. Petersburg.
The first store opened in December in IKEA’s Mega complex in the Moscow suburb of Khimki.
The Athlete’s Foot’s expansion into the Russian Federation is in keeping with its strategic plan for aggressive franchise growth throughout Eastern Europe and in other international markets. The company currently operates nearly 700 stores globally.
“We are very pleased to expand our global presence by entering the Russian Federation with such a capable and experienced partner, Alye Parusa,” said Robert J. Corliss, president and CEO of The Athlete’s Foot. “Under the superb leadership of Ms. Olga Blaschko, Alye Parusa has become one of Moscow’s premier developers of department stores and retail food chains. They have a strong focus on providing superior customer service which complements The Athlete’s Foot’s customer-oriented selling system. We look forward to a strong and growing relationship with Alye Parusa,” Corliss adds.
Alye Parusa is a leading developer of shopping centers and food retail centers in the Moscow area and is an associate company of the Trading Chain Alye Parusa group of companies involved in operating shopping centers, department stores, super markets, wholesale and retail operations, and manufacturing.
According to Ms. Olga Blaschko, president of the Alye Parusa retail network: “We are encouraged by our cooperation with The Athlete’s Foot corporation. While extending the retail industry in Russia and developing new retail directions, we are interested in long-term projects. I am sure that our cooperation will favor the promotion of strong exclusive brands on the global market.”
In addition to the Russian Federation, The Athlete’s Foot is heavily pursuing expansion opportunities throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Since December 2003, the company has signed agreements with 11 countries including Greece, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and most recently Cyprus and India. The franchisor is in search of franchise partners for the countries of Germany, Ireland, Italy, Scandinavia, the Benelux countries, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
