Founder Yashesh Mukhi on building an open-footwear brand that blends comfort, design and sustainability
In a market long split between inexpensive “ghar ka chappals” and premium global names, Chupps has carved out a distinct middle ground. Founded by Yashesh Mukhi, the homegrown brand focuses exclusively on open footwear—sliders, sandals and everyday essentials—priced accessibly yet designed for comfort, style and longevity.
In this review with BW Retail World, Mukhi speaks about the brand’s journey so far, the evolving habits of Indian consumers, Chupps’ omnichannel growth strategy, and why sustainability has been central to the brand since day one.
Chupps has built a distinct identity in India’s casual footwear space in a short time. Can you take us through the brand’s journey and how the name came about?
We pronounce it as Chupps, which you could loosely say is short for chappals. The creative person who coined the name might disagree with that interpretation, but for me it’s the simplest explanation. He felt it sounded nice and memorable. Initially, he came up with Tea Chupps, but we quickly realised that didn’t make much sense, so we settled on Chupps. Even the “C” in our logo represents a folded chappal—that’s where it comes from.
And what was the thinking behind launching the brand itself?
Traditionally in India, the chappal has been a purely functional, at-home product—something you slip into once you return from work. Post-Covid, lifestyles changed. Open footwear moved beyond the home and became socially acceptable outdoors as well.
At the same time, nearly 80 per cent of the open-footwear market sat below Rs 400—very basic, functional products. On the other end were international brands like Crocs or Birkenstock, priced anywhere from Rs 2,500 to Rs 10,000. There was a clear gap between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 for consumers who wanted something comfortable, stylish and wearable outdoors without paying a premium. Chupps was born to address exactly that gap.
From a business standpoint, how have the last two years been for Chupps?
It’s been very encouraging. This is only our fourth year, and already 25–27 per cent of our customers are repeat buyers, which is strong for a category where replacement cycles are typically six to eight months.
We opened our first retail store in Mumbai in November, and by January, about 10 per cent of customers were already repeat buyers. People like the product, feel the value proposition is strong, and are happy to come back—either for themselves or for family and friends.
How large is the brand today in terms of scale and distribution?
We operate across all major channels. We have 25 distributors across India, reaching over 2,000 points of sale in nearly 200 cities. In modern trade, we’re present in over 100 Metro stores, 100 Reliance stores and around 50 INC5 outlets—and this footprint is expanding.
Online, we sell through all major marketplaces and our own D2C platform, which has been growing 6–8 per cent month-on-month. Overall, we sell around 60,000 pairs a month, with an average selling price of about Rs 850, translating to roughly Rs 5.25 crore in monthly sales.
Comfort seems to be a big driver today. How do you see consumer preferences shaping this category?
Comfort has become central across lifestyle categories. In footwear alone, formal shoes once made up about 70 per cent of India’s market; today, they’re down to nearly 12 per cent.
Open footwear is one of the most comfortable options, and the numbers reflect that. Over the past five years, it has been the second-fastest growing footwear category in India, growing at around 18–20 per cent annually. People are substituting other footwear types with open footwear and using it across more occasions than ever before.
How do marketplaces, D2C and physical retail fit into your growth strategy?
We believe every channel is important. Consumers don’t shop only online or only offline—they move across platforms. Seeing the brand in multiple places reinforces trust and recall. Each channel plays a role in the purchase journey, and together they help convert interest into sales. That’s why we’re focused on being present across touchpoints.
Looking ahead, what are your expansion priorities over the next 12–24 months?
Modern trade and exclusive brand outlets will see faster growth, as will online. Internationally, we’ve recently entered the Middle East with a distributor in the UAE and have initiated a joint venture in the US with a local partner. Both markets are attractive, and we expect to start seeing traction over the next few months.
What are some of the biggest challenges in this segment, especially for younger brands?
It’s an extremely competitive space. You have to constantly evolve across three pillars—product, brand communication and customer experience. There’s also the risk of duplication when something works. Staying ahead means continuous innovation and delivering a superior overall experience so customers choose you over the competition.
Sustainability is a big part of the Chupps story. Can you explain that philosophy?
Sustainability has been non-negotiable for us from day one. We’ve never used plastic or animal-derived materials, and everything we make is vegan.
We also looked closely at landfill waste. Globally, around 22 billion pairs of footwear end up in landfills each year, where they can take 500–1,000 years to decompose. Our solution was not recycling—which often increases carbon output—but creating a biodegradable material.
Our 2-0 technology uses a bio-foam compound that disintegrates completely within two years once it reaches landfill conditions and remains soil-neutral. It doesn’t release harmful gases, and life can exist around it afterwards. For us, that’s a meaningful step towards responsible consumption.
Finally, what would you say defines Chupps as a brand today?
Our focus has always been on creating a superior product at a sharp price point. Ultimately, the customer experiences the product first and foremost. If we get that right—comfort, design, quality and sustainability—everything else follows.
