International shoemaker Bata is planning to expand its market to Ethiopia this year. The shoemaker aims to spread out into 
Ethiopia and Burundi as part of its expansion plan focusing on the COMESA region according to Nasir Rafiq, Managing Director.
The company is planning to expand to Ethiopia this year with the expectation that upgrade works on the infrastructure linking Ethiopia and Kenya will be completed on time explained Rafiq speaking at the launch of miss world Kenya.
It is expected that the expansion ventures into Ethiopia and Brundi will cost an estimated 350 million shillings said Rafiq.Bata does not expect to enter the Southern Sudanese market at the present for a range of administrative and policy challenges he noted.
Rafiq said the company is however keeping off the South Sudan marketfor now due to various administration and policy hurdles.
Bata is one of the world's leading footwear retailers and manufacturers with operations across 5 continents managed by 4 regional commercial business units (CBUs) according to the official company website.
Bata serves 1 million customers a day, employs above 50,000 people, operates 5000 retail stores, manages a retail presence in more than 70 countries and runs 27 production facilities in 20 countries claims the website.
Source: the-star.co.ke
