The Chinese shoe brand Sprandi, popular in the late 90s, may return to the Russian market

The Chinese sports shoe brand Sprandi, popular in Russia in the late 1990s, may return to the Russian market, which it abandoned during the economic crisis of 2009 due to falling sales in the country and growing debts to local counterparties. Against the backdrop of falling purchasing power, demand for budget sports brands, which include Sprandi, remains high, experts say.

The Chinese manufacturer of sportswear and footwear Anta Sports may introduce the Sprandi brand, which was famous in the late 1990s and early 2000s, to the Russian market. In September 2023, the company managing the company in Russia, A Sport LLC, received a number of declarations of conformity for shoes under the Sprandi brand, and found “Kommersant” in the Russian Accreditation database.

In addition, A Capital LLC, associated with Anta Sports, established the SPD company, to which the sprandi.su domain is registered. The general director of the new company was Egor Minyaev, who owned 49% in the Russian division of Anta Sports until 2020. The global and Russian offices of Anta Sports did not respond to Kommersant’s request.

Back in 2003, Sprandi was one of the five most recognizable sports brands in Russia along with Adidas, Reebok, Nike and Puma, the research company Comcon reported at the time. In 2007, the chain consisted of about 100 stores in Russia. In 2009, Sprandi had to curtail its activities in the country due to a sharp decline in business turnover and accumulated debts to creditors and suppliers against the backdrop of the global economic crisis (see Kommersant, May 7, 2009).

Sprandi positions itself as an alternative to top brands, but at half the price, while actually belonging to the low and middle price segment, notes Ilya Komissarov, head of the marketing department at Lestate (distributor of sports shoes). According to him, such brands are especially in demand during a crisis, when purchasing power falls.

It is no coincidence that Sprandi was so popular in Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the target audience remembers these products well, adds Mr. Komissarov. The return of a brand already known to some Russian consumers may be more advantageous than the launch of a new and unknown brand, says Alexey Vanchugov, managing partner of Vanchugov and Partners.

The sporting goods market in Russia began to transform in 2022 after the departure of a number of the largest international brands. Retailers began to look for new suppliers among Asian brands (see “Kommersant” dated November 15, 2022). And distributors of sporting goods are creating their own networks: Turkish FLO Retailing opened a Sneaker Box chain on the site of Reebok stores, Inventive Retail Group – Amazing Red on the basis of former Puma sales points, Lamoda – Lamoda Sport on the site of Adidas stores. And Lestate launched two networks NSP and ASP with products from Nike, Adidas and Reebok.

At the same time, according to Ilya Komissarov, the niches of sportswear and footwear in the middle and premium price segments, as well as high-tech products, remain unfilled. In the next couple of years, according to the expert, one of the most promising niches for new brands entering the Russian market will be winter sports products. He points out that international players created lines of winter clothing and footwear specifically for Russia and other northern countries, and with their departure from the local market, some items were no longer produced.

Alina Savitskaya