ITC's Wills Lifestyle taps Franchise India to grow store network across metros and Tier 2 cities

ITC's apparel brand Wills Lifestyle has partnered with Franchise India Brands to expand its specialty store footprint pan-India via the franchise route, targeting both metros and Tier 2 markets to strengthen its retail presence.

— FiledMon, 6 Jul, 2026, 10:33 IST·First seen Mon, 6 Jul, 2026, 10:33 IST·Source Financial Express · BrandWagon

What happened

ITC's Wills Lifestyle apparel brand partners with Franchise India Brands to expand its store network across India via the franchise route, targeting Metros and

Key facts

  • 14 years

Why this matters

The Franchise India partnership opens whitespace in metros and Tier 2 cities, warranting a look at complementary apparel or fulfillment tie-ups to accelerate the network buildout.

What to watch

  • Number of new stores opened per quarter vs stated targets
  • Franchisee same-store sales and break-even timelines
  • ITC lifestyle segment revenue disclosures in quarterly results
  • Competitive store openings by Manyavar, Raymond, and mass-premium apparel brands in same cities
  • Any shift in store format size or omnichannel integration
  • ITC finalizes franchisee onboarding terms, capex sharing, and territory allocations with Franchise India
  • Pilot cluster of stores launched in select Tier 2 cities to validate unit economics
  • Localized assortment and pricing adjustments for smaller-market consumers
  • Marketing push tied to festive/wedding season to drive franchise footfall