Madan Khatri
Marketing Executive
Shaan Furniture Pvt Ltd, Banepa

The Nepali branded furniture market, though not completely evolved, has been flourishing slowly in recent times. Kathmandu’s homemakers are increasingly becoming brand-conscious which has made branding an essential process for any furniture company. When the market is flooded with Chinese products, some precious locally-made brands become key players. “It will not be difficult to replace foreign products in terms of quality; however, we have to make our customers aware that Nepali brands are not weak,” says Madan Khatri, Marketing Executive of Shaan Furniture Pvt Ltd in Banepa.

Shaan furniture is an emerging furniture brand in the Nepali market. ‘Shaan’, the journey of pride began in 1993. In a two-decade long journey, the brand has created its own value in the domestic market. “It is very hard to establish a brand in the domestic market,” he says. Though the company was dealing merely with wooden products in the beginning, it now deals with a huge variety of products.

‘Shaan’ implies that to have a domestic brand is a matter of pride. “It reflects that we are proud to be a part of the furniture market,” he says.  The brand name evokes a sense of pride in being locally-made. The popularity of a brand is an asset to any company. “Brands give tremendous contribution to the company,” Khatri says and claims that the strength of the brand assures the quality of the product. The company has organized two furniture expos thus far at the Bhrikutimandap, the one for this year having commenced on September 25, to support domestic furniture brands. The company has dealers in Dilibazar, Banepa, Patan, Kumaripati, Maharajgunj, Butwal and Gwarko.

We are highly motivated by the feedback our customers have given which also maintains the bond between the brand and its consumers.  “The logo which is a green tree symbolizes that furniture must go hand-in-hand with environmental conservation,” he clarifies.

“The significant aspect of our brand lies in the originality of the raw materials we have been using to generate products. It makes us stand out from other brands. We have been focusing on local raw materials which are the strength of our brand.  We are trying to deliver the message that our brand and products can endure in quality and style,” he adds.

The company, as of now, places huge priority on reliability rather than texture and appearance of its products.  It has yet to work on branding. “We are waiting to see what will be a suitable way to brand our product as many furniture brands are becoming popular these days,” explains Khatri. “Sustainability of the brand can be continued by incorporating change in technology and interest of customers,” he adds.

The management team at Shaan is well aware of the concept and the company has been trying to shape its brand and products accordingly. Though the company’s active participation began only a couple of years ago, the management team thinks that the brand has succeeded in making its space in consumers’ consciousness. “Being top-listed among domestic brands, customers do show interest in our products,” Khatri says.

The cost and value of Shaan furniture’s products appear well balanced. “Our target groups are middle class people and the price range has been set accordingly,” Khatri says. The expo has largely helped Khatri and company communicate with customers and the brand’s market share today stands at 12 percent of the total market. With a promise for quality and a spirit for environmental consciousness, Shaan Furniture Pvt Ltd seems to be on a promising path to emerge as a strong brand in the near future.