Tata Group’s retail arm Trent has crossed a big milestone by crossing 1,000 large-format fashion stores across India. Out of these 757 belong to its value fashion brand Zudio, while 248 are Westside stores. It raises a question: why does the younger Zudio brand surpass Westside in store count?

Zudio Surpasses Westside

Zudio was launched in 2016 but surpassed in numbers of stores to its other sibling Westside, which was started in 1998. As of Q3 FY25, Zudio operates 635+ stores in over 190 cities, while Westside has presence in 82 cities with 238 outlets. Even in terms of retail space, Zudio leads with 6.2 million sq ft, compared to Westside’s 5.1 million sq ft.

Between October-December 2020 and October-December 2024, Zudio’s store count increased from 94 to 635, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61%. Whereas, Westside’s store count rose from 168 to 238 in the same period.

Secret Behind Zudio’s Rapid Growth

Several factors made Zudio a successful brand for Tata. First is its affordability and mass-market appeal. The brand is built around accessibility and a unique product offering. According to Trent’s FY24 annual report, Zudio is designed to be agile with minimal lead times and a focus on rapid inventory refreshes. Almost all its merchandise are sourced domestically, which enables faster turnarounds and better cost efficiency.

Home BusinessTata vs Tata: Ratan Tata’s Trent fashion stores have more Zudio outlets than Westside due to…
Tata vs Tata: Ratan Tata’s Trent fashion stores have more Zudio outlets than Westside due to…
While Westside is a premium offering with its own loyal customers, Zudio is playing a big role in Trent’s expansion.
Published: April 7, 2025 8:49 AM IST

By Anirudha Yerunkar |Edited by Anirudha Yerunkar

Follow Us
Ratan Tata and Noel Tata (File)
Tata Group’s retail arm Trent has crossed a big milestone by crossing 1,000 large-format fashion stores across India. Out of these 757 belong to its value fashion brand Zudio, while 248 are Westside stores. It raises a question: why does the younger Zudio brand surpass Westside in store count?

Zudio Surpasses Westside
Zudio was launched in 2016 but surpassed in numbers of stores to its other sibling Westside, which was started in 1998. As of Q3 FY25, Zudio operates 635+ stores in over 190 cities, while Westside has presence in 82 cities with 238 outlets. Even in terms of retail space, Zudio leads with 6.2 million sq ft, compared to Westside’s 5.1 million sq ft.

Between October-December 2020 and October-December 2024, Zudio’s store count increased from 94 to 635, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61%. Whereas, Westside’s store count rose from 168 to 238 in the same period.

Secret Behind Zudio’s Rapid Growth
Several factors made Zudio a successful brand for Tata. First is its affordability and mass-market appeal. The brand is built around accessibility and a unique product offering. According to Trent’s FY24 annual report, Zudio is designed to be agile with minimal lead times and a focus on rapid inventory refreshes. Almost all its merchandise are sourced domestically, which enables faster turnarounds and better cost efficiency.

In FY24, Zudio sold 90 T-shirts, 20 denims, 19 fragrances, and 17 lipsticks every minute showing its wide appeal among consumers.

Zudio Expansion

Another reason for Zudio’s growth is the lower capital expenditure (capex) required to set up each store. While a new Westside store needs an investment of Rs 8 to 9 crore (including capex, deposits, and inventory), a Zudio outlet requires just Rs 3-4 crore which is almost half. Due to this Zudio is an attractive investment for Trent in terms of return on capital and speed of expansion.

Q4 FY25 Performance

In the January-March 2025 quarter, Trent reported standalone revenue of Rs 4,335 crore, a 38% jump from Rs 3,381 crore in the same period last year. During this quarter, Trent opened 13 Westside stores and 132 Zudio outlets as the company sees maximum growth potential in Zudio.

Noel Tata played a big role in the growth of Trent, he served as company’s MD and later as a chairman.

Author Credits- Anirudha Yerunkar, India.com