SBE Unique Retails Pvt. Ltd. (popularly known as Balaji Retail) is a powerhouse in the Indian retail sector, known for its dynamic growth and multi-brand franchise leadership. Founded in 2006 by D. Balu with a single Reebok store, the company’s journey gained momentum when K. Pradeep joined. By 2008, SBE entered the Levi’s ecosystem, expanding to 15 stores by 2014–15 and currently operating over 100 stores nationwide.
Today, it is the master franchisee for Levi’s, with 62 exclusive stores across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Pondicherry. They also hold state-level exclusivity for Pepe Jeans and Celio in Tamil Nadu and run a successful Tanishq franchise in Chennai. With a turnover of Rs 200 crore, the company’s portfolio includes B2B collaborations with Skechers, ID, and school shoe brands.
Key Drivers Behind Success
For SBE, onboarding and setup processes have become smoother over time, thanks to strong collaborations with leading multinational brands. The company benefits significantly from the operational and marketing support by partners, which come equipped with robust digital infrastructure, loyalty programs, and data-driven customer insights. From a marketing standpoint, these brands simplify the task of reaching and engaging with consumers. Their ability to leverage customer data for targeted outreach—through digital platforms, SMS, and WhatsApp—enables more effective campaigns and better ROI.
“With the marketing strength of these established , it’s much easier today than it used to be. With brands having rich customer data, connecting with the audience digitally becomes far more effective,” said D. Balu, Managing Director, SBE Unique Retails.
Business Model & Revenue Insights
SBE expresses measured satisfaction with its current business model. “We’re currently satisfied because we own some great brands. But things have changed. Earlier, brands relied heavily on franchise partners to expand and brick-and-mortar was the only route. Now, many brands prefer launching directly through Amazon or Q-commerce platforms. This shift reduces reliance on franchises and brings its own set of challenges,” said Balu.
Understanding Customers, Strengthening Partnerships
Regular and close communication with brand teams is a key part of daily operations at SBE; especially given the company’s scale and volume of business. The team maintains consistent interaction with brand representatives at every level to ensure alignment and responsiveness.
“We interact with brand teams almost every day. Our local coordination happens daily with the ASM (Area Sales Manager), while engagement with regional or national brand managers typically takes place once or twice a month, depending on the requirements,” added Balu.
This frequency of communication ensures clarity on operations, product movement, and new initiatives, and allows both sides to act quickly on feedback and market developments.
Franchisor-Franchise Relationship
To improve the brand-franchisee relationship, brands need to adopt a more franchise-centric approach— understanding ground realities and ensuring that commitments made are honored consistently over time. Too often, leadership changes lead to broken promises, leaving franchisees with unviable models. Rising rents and heavy online discounting have only added pressure, making it tough for franchisees to stay competitive.
“Unless the brand truly thinks from the franchisee’s perspective, the relationship will struggle to deliver sustainable returns,” says Balu.
Expansion & Alignment
SBE remains open to expansion, but with a more cautious and pragmatic approach. While many brands continue to approach the group, the rising cost of investment and reduced returns— driven largely by intense discounting and growing competition—have prompted a shift in strategy. The team is now more inclined toward management contract models, where operations are handled without heavy capital deployment.
“We’re open to expansion, but only if the model makes financial sense. With high investment costs and heavy discounting, it’s no longer viable to expand blindly. Unless we shift to smarter formats like management contracts, sustaining growth will be tough,” concludes Balu.
