Grendene, founded in 1971, is one of the world’s largest producers of footwear. It has exclusive proprietary technologies in the production of footwear for all publics. It owns successful, widely-known brands, including Melissa, Grendha, Zaxy, Rider, Cartago, Ipanema, Pega Forte, Grendene Kids and Zizou. It also licenses the use of celebrity personalities, and characters in the world of children’s media. 

Grendene is a totally integrated operation: As well as five industrial locations – with a total of 10 footwear factories – with aggregate capacity to produce 250 million pairs of shoes per year – it has its own mold-producing plant, a factory producing PVC for its footwear production, and distribution logistics serving both traditional and non-traditional distributors and retailers in the whole of Brazil, and in the export market. 

Grendene’s industrial plants are in two States of Brazil: (i) – In the State of Ceará, it has facilities in three cities. Sobral (where it has been present since 1993), hosts and head office, and its largest industrial unit – six footwear factories, one plant producing PVC and 1 CD (Distribution Center). In the city of Fortaleza (since 1990), it has two plants, producing footwear and PVC components; and in the city of Crato (since 1997) it has one plant, producing footwear and components in EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), and (ii) In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, it has operations in the city of Farroupilha (since 1971), with one footwear plant, one molding unit and corporate administration.

Grendene sells its products through commercial representatives, distributors, direct exports, and exports through its subsidiaries, and joint venture. These reach approximately 45,000 sales points outside Brazil and 65,000 in the Brazilian market. Further to this structure, Grendene has a separate sales department, and selective distribution, for the Melissa brand. The Company also operates two flagship stores: "Galeria Melissa" and "Rider Spaces" in São Paulo, along with a franchise network called "Clube Melissa".
 

Competitive differentials are based on the purpose, values and strategic pillars that guide Grendene:

OUR PURPOSE

To make accessible and sustainable fashion, in a creative manner, valuing relationships.

 

VALUES

Integrity; Learning; Protagonism; Collaboration; Simplicity.

 

STRATEGIC PILLARS

Profitability; Consumer; People; Sustainability; Innovation.
 

Grendene’s principal competitive advantages and differentials are its tangible and intangible assets – what we describe as Grendene’s DNA – which translate into:

• Brand strength
• Capacity to innovate
• Aggressive marketing
• Differentiated production process
• Proprietary technology
• Research and development
• Vertical integration
• Production scale
• Competitive cost
• Product quality
• Logistics
• Level of corporate governance
• Financial solidity

As well as innovative products, and quality, Grendene has highly professional management, made up of talented people – researching trends, with capacity to interpret, translate, create, produce and launch fashion on a global level – and to control costs and expenses. All this with the objective of maximizing the return for stockholders in a way that is sustainable.