Von Wellx Germany - Designing Shoes Scientifically!
📄Company Profiles
Footwear has always been considered an object of fashion. But people do not realize that feet form the foundation of your body. The foot is the 2nd most complex organ of the body after the brain and shoe is the most important piece of clothing. It is believed that Healthy Footwear is one of the most important parts of your Healthy Lifestyle apart from exercise, healthy food, sleep, and stress management.
Von Wellx Germany has been designed with the idea to create a footwear brand that focuses on fulfilling all the functions of the feet and footwear and still looked good.
Ashish Jain, the Founder of Von Wellx Germany, brought German technology to India and founded Iatric Industries in 2016 to deliver comfortable and medically-fit footwear. In around 4 years, the company has spread its wings to Sri Lanka, Dubai, and Qatar markets and is growing at 50 percent year-on-year.
Read this article to know about Von Wellx Germany, it's products, how it was started, growth, startup challenges, Founder and future plans.
Von Wellx Germany - Company Highlights
| Startup Name | Von Wellx Germany |
|---|---|
| Headquarter | Germany |
| Sector | Footwear |
| Founder | Ashish Jain |
| Parent Organization | Casa Everz Gmbh |
| Website | vonwellx.com |
| Contact | help@vonwellx.com |
Von Wellx - About
Von Wellx - Target Market Size
Von Wellx - Founder
Von Wellx - How was it started
Von Wellx - How it Works
Von Wellx - Products/Service
Von Wellx - USP and Innovation
Von Wellx - Name, Tagline, Logo
Von Wellx - User Acquisition
Von Wellx - Startup Launch
Von Wellx - Startup Challenges
Von Wellx - Future Plans
Von Wellx - Recognition and Achievements
Von Wellx - FAQs
Von Wellx - About
Von Wellx Germany is a footwear brand based on Internationally Patented German Technology - 5 Zones By Dr.Mauch across Men's and Women's Category. The company works with the vision to make people aware of the importance/functions of feet and healthy footwear and provide them the healthiest footwear without compromising on fashion.
It helps to provide the people relief from heel, feet, knee, back, and posture issues. Healthy Shoes helps avoid future foot, knee, back, and posture problems for you and energizes your feet for all-day activity without any tiredness, relieving your current issues.
"We have been seeing a very high number of people troubled with above problems since the early ’30s in their life. Technically bad footwear and not being able to stimulate your feet properly which earlier used to happen due to barefoot walking are major reasons for the same. It is extremely important to use footwear which helps your feet perform the original static, dynamic, and reflex functions of your feet so that you live a healthy life for a longer time. If you do not wake up now, you will suffer later.", says Ashish Jain, CEO and Director of Von Wellx Germany - India.
Von Wellx Germany has been designed so that you can fulfill your foot functions as part of your normal lifestyle only. Dr.Mauch aptly calls it “The Gym in your Shoe.”
It shifting its entire shoe production of around 3 million pairs annually from China to India, with an initial investment of Rs. 110 crores. Thus, a new manufacturing unit will be set up in UP through a collaboration with Latric Industries Pvt Ltd.
Chayanika Goswami
Von Wellx - Target Market Size
India is the second-largest footwear producer in the world, with footwear production accounting for approximately 9 per cent of the global annual production – 22 billion pairs as compared to China, which produces over 60 per cent of the global production.
Footwear exports from India have grown at a CAGR of 20 per cent in Indian Rupee terms during the last five years. In absolute terms, footwear exports from India have risen from Rs. 71.5 billion in FY10 to Rs. 180.0 billion in FY15.
- Industry – Premium Footwear (Leather and Non-Leather)
- Target market size – Rs. 4,000 Crores
- Target market share – 12%
- Footwear Market Size – Rs. 40,000 crores
- Next Five Years – CAGR of 11 %
Also ,we need to understand that the Healthy Footwear Category (Closest to Comfort Category) is a novel category that is in a blue field stage right now.
It is true that, the choice of footwear, both for men and women in India is always dominated by the fashion of the season. However recently, comfort has been the determining factor for the consumers in buying footwear. Going forward, comfort and health are going to be the first and most important criteria for consumer decision, especially beyond the age of 30 years.
It has been noted that the consumers especially after the 1st pregnancy of women and after crossing 30 years in men encounter more foot and body related problems and look for comfort and health as the topmost criteria.
The demography and changing buying behavior are triggering enhanced demand from the existing pie. Rising disposable incomes and new entrants into the workforce, especially women are pushing the domestic demand on the upside.
Women’s footwear constitutes only a 30 per cent market share currently. But the growth rate of this segment is double than of the men’s segment. Where the men’s footwear market has registered a 10 per cent CAGR growth rate in the last fiscal, it is 20 percent for the women's segment. Also, it has increased the per capita consumption from 1.6 to 2.4 in the last 5 years.
So overall, there is a major transition to healthy and comfort category footwear in the coming years.
Vibhavari Madki
Von Wellx - Founder
Ashish Jain is the Founder of Von Wellx Germany.
He is an IIM Alum. Post his studies, Ashish joined his 4 decade old family business of footwear that exports products to around 48 countries. After entering the business, Ashish researched the footwear market in India and was intrigued to find out why people were reluctant to understand why they needed good footwear.
"Healthy footwear adds to a healthy body" he says.
“We started by manufacturing in China to meet the supply chain of the Asian and Middle East countries. However, to further leverage the supply chain and boost the manufacturing set up we made a way to India further corroborating the Prime Minister’s speech for Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Ashish tells
Von Wellx - How was it started
The team made the following observations after their research into the area of footwear-
- Footwear has always been considered an object of Fashion. But people do not realize that feet form the foundation of your body. Thus care is not taken for your feet and in choosing your footwear. APMA study found that 77% of Americans say they have experienced foot pain. Women are more vulnerable to foot problems and typically experience four times as many problems as men.
- Secondly, people did not understand that the type of problems like heel, pain, knee, back and posture problems that they have today is dependent on your feet and footwear as the structure of the building is on the foundation.
- Thirdly, most of the footwear designed today do not take care of the natural functions (static, dynamic, and reflex) of the feet, shock absorption function (Like Shock Absorbers of Cars, etc), and technical specs required but only focus on looks and fashion.
- Fourthly, that people do not have the expertise to understand the technical correctness of the shoe.
- Lastly, people nowadays are paying great attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but do not understand that a healthy shoe is one of the most important cogs in the wheel of a healthy lifestyle.
This led to the birth of the idea to create a footwear brand that focused on fulfilling all the functions of the feet and footwear and still looked good. They researched the best technologies available in this field and zeroed in on Dr. Walter Mauch’s 5 Zones based on the science of reflexology which took care of all the problems.
5 Zones Technology is patented and sold in over 80 countries across the globe and has over 100 million happy customers. They tested these shoes on a study group of 1,000 people across various states of India and noticed their results over 3 months. The results of the study were phenomenal and corroborated with the international results of this brand over the last 30 years.
The people who were under this study kept on coming back to ask for more 5 Zones shoes. From there on, it was a straight call to collaborate with this Brand and they decided to collaborate for India, Middle East, and some other Asian Countries. After rigorous multiple meetings with the German Company in Germany and Italy, Iatric Industries Pvt. Ltd. signed the exclusive contract for 20 years.
Chayanika Goswami
Von Wellx - How it Works
In earlier times, we used to walk barefoot a lot (8000 steps or more) daily on soft surfaces like grass, etc. which naturally stimulated nerve endings in feet and kept feet, knees, and back healthy by performing the static, dynamic and reflex functions of the feet. But now in reality, we walk less than 3000 steps daily on hard surfaces with wrong footwear that provide no stimulation, have hard soles & do not support the feet well. This destroys the natural connection of the feet with the body.
Dr. Med Walter Mauch, a very renowned German doctor for orthopedics, chirotherapy, sports medicine, and naturopathy developed this internationally patented 5 Zones based on the science of reflexology to solve these problems. The feet have nerve endings of all the organs of the body.
The footwear provides health benefits to the body like-
- Energizes feet for 12+ hours standing (No tiredness) by Soft Massage, Muscle Relaxation
- Exercises foot (Like Barefoot walking on Grass) by Increasing blood circulation
- Relieves heel, knee and back pain, flat foot by providing correct support
- Protects joints and muscles by absorbing the pressure coming on them
- Corrects foot position and body posture by balancing muscles tension
Von Wellx - Products/Service
The company has both men’s and women’s shoes for the office, casual, party, ethnic, and wedding purposes for all age groups. They have all your needs covered. Footwear starts at Rs. 1,999 and goes up to Rs. 5,999 but most of the sandals are under Rs. 3,000.
Von Wellx footwear solve problems like-
- Avoids Tired Feet after walking & standing,
- Heel, Knee, and Back Pain.
- Arthritis Feet pain, Diabetic Foot
- Wear and tear of Knee and other joints due to shock/pressure
Also, the shoes are technically correct due to special features like,
- Special German lasts for correct foot position,
- Long counters to keep the heel bone in place,
- Double density shock absorb outsole,
- Positive heel height/balanced soles,
- Air pump system,
- Anti-microbial/Anti-fungal layer,
- Imported Stretch Materials for Swollen Feet,
- Full-grain leather upper, lining and socks
Also they have a special Diabetic Range for preventing people from developing diabetic foot. Over 65% of Diabetic people in the US develop problems in their feet. Every 20 seconds, foot amputation occurs in the world. To avoid the same, we need to take the utmost care of our feet and footwear. Von Wellx’s Diabetes Series increases blood circulation to 5 most critical diabetes organs such as the pancreas, spleen, liver, kidneys, intestine, and improves their functioning. It also has additional features like a wide toe box, minimal stitches to avoid wounds, anti-fungal/bacterial lining, and stretch materials.
Dr. Umashankar Mohanty, President – Indian Association of Physiotherapists also said that gait and foot position is very important. If it is altered due to wrong shoe feet, knee, back pain, etc. will occur. Dr. Mohanty was very impressed with Von Wellx's footwear and acknowledged that these shoes are scientifically developed and provide the necessary support and stimulation to avoid all these problems.
Lakshya Singh
Von Wellx - USP and Innovation
- 5 Zones Technology based on the science of Reflexology is internationally patented in over 80 countries. No copies can be made of the technology.
- Invented by famous Dr. Walter Mauch after years of research.
- More than 100 million happy customers are benefited by the same.
- Uses Patented Material made in only 1 factory in Italy.
- Research and Development for the product done in Germany to correct all technical problems in shoes but with special attention to Indian Fashion needs.
- The first brand in India to make Healthy Shoes for a healthy lifestyle.
Von Wellx - Name, Tagline, Logo
The rationale behind the tagline was to make people realize that Healthy Shoes is one of the most important parts of your Healthy Lifestyle.
The logo of the company is based on the inventor of 5 Zones - Dr.Mauch.
Von Wellx - Startup Launch
Von Wellx approached the biggest and most respected footwear retailer in the country Metro Shoes which has the best premium shoe retail network in the country. After seeing the revolutionary efficacy and effectiveness of the product, they straightforwardly decided to launch the product in their selected top stores. After seeing the results in 6 months, they decided to go ahead with a nationwide rollout in all their stores. The Year-of-Year(YoY) growth of the company is over 175%.
Internationally, they launched in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka through the country’s top chains like Lulu Retail, DSI Samson, etc. and the brand is performing phenomenally with over 120% YoY growth. They also export the brand from their company to parent company in Germany for their other markets in Europe, the US, etc.
The company's top focus has been to make the first million customers try their shoes since their repeat buying customer ratio is extremely high. Once a customer wears it, it is very difficult for him/her to use another brand. The team has been employing innovative in-store branding to attract the customers along with digital marketing, traditional marketing channels, doctors conferences, exhibitions, and fitness expos.
Lakshya Singh
Von Wellx - User Acquisition
The company has one of the highest customer retention ratios in the market and the lowest complaints ratio. The benefits that the customers feel after wearing their shoes and the quality and life of the shoe makes them want to come back to the brand automatically.
Von Wellx - Startup Challenges
The major challenge for the team is to make the customer buy the shoe for the first time. Also, some people think that it is a medical shoe and they do not need it since they do not have any problem.
These shoes are not medical shoes or just targeted at people with problems. These shoes promote good health of your feet, knees, and back so that you do not encounter the problems associated with them.
The company has tried to drive home this message by concentrating on the major customer touch-points like special in-store branding to explain it, training the salesmen with the knowledge so that they can pass it on to the consumer. They have got good results with the same. The team also ran digital campaigns and traditional marketing campaigns to drive home the message.
Rishabh Rathi
Von Wellx - Future Plans
After a successful launch, Von Wellx is been looking to increase more awareness in the customers with opening exclusive brand outlets. Also they are increasing their distribution by adding Central stores, traditional distributors, and retailers.
The company is also bringing a special foot solution for kids in the next 6 months. They have a huge opportunity and responsibility ahead of them to create a new category of Healthy Footwear in the Indian Market. They are confident of achieving the same in the next 3 years and want all the people to lead an active and pain-free life without worrying about their feet.
It also aims to strengthen online presence through key partnerships. It is soon to launch a new range of washable footwear for the Indian market to counter the effects of COVID-19.
Von Wellx - Recognition and Achievements
- The company's biggest achievement has been the availability of the product across all prime locations at the top 100 Indian cities within a year of the launch.
- They have a very high repeat customer rate and less than 0.1 % of returns/complaints which goes on to show that their customers are extremely satisfied and benefited by the product across ages, regions, etc.
- Von Wellx has successfully introduced the concept of healthy footwear as a critical part of a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, they are happy to know that youngsters are loving the product as much as elders.
One of the interesting stories was when one of their customers went to her doctor, Dr. Nikhil Latey for a routine checkup. Dr. Latey, who is an Olympic doctor for the Indian team and has worked with famous stars like Mary Kom etc. noticed Von Wellx's product and was extremely impressed with it. He got in touch with the company and advised the footwear to his patients.
Von Wellx - FAQs
Who is the owner of Von Wellx?
Casa Everz Gmbh is the owner/parent organisation of Germany-based footwear company, Von Wellx.
Who is Ashish Jain?
Ashish Jain is the Founder of Von Wellx Germany, a footwear brand based on Internationally Patented German Technology - 5 Zones By Dr.Mauch across Men's and Women's Category.
What is Von Wellx?
Von Wellx Germany is a footwear brand based on Internationally Patented German Technology - 5 Zones By Dr.Mauch across Men's and Women's Category. The company works with the vision to make people aware of the importance/functions of feet and healthy footwear and provide them the healthiest footwear without compromising on fashion.
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