MBT Footwear is bringing its concept stores to Australia, and is looking for potential franchisees who are eager to take advantage of the company’s growing success. Originating in Switzerland, MBT, or Masai Barefoot Technology, is the first physiological footwear designed to have a positive effect on the whole body.

The concept store brings all the MBT styles together under the one roof, making it easier for the company to communicate its ‘whole body’ approach to footwear. We’re the first footwear business in the market that is designed around having a positive effect on the entire body, from the neck down, so to control that message the concept store idea is really what has worked overseas, said MBT general manager, Simon Cron.

Since designing its first shoe in 1992, MBT has sold over five million pairs worldwide. There are over 250 concept stores around the world, with about 95 in Korea and 82 in Spain. There are 84 retailers in Australia and two concept stores – one in Chatswood and the other in Brookevale, who’s turnover, according to Cron, is massive. The company is now seeking franchisees to open more concept stores in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

We’re only at the tip of the iceberg in Australia. We’ve only really established ourselves in the last three years in terms of our expansion and distribution networks, so we have a massive amount of the population who are still just starting to become aware of MBT. If you’re going to own a concept store, not only can you own your first one, but its highly likely that over the next year and a half you could open a second, third or fourth. So there’s a lot of expansion potential for concept stores, he said.

MBT is looking for passionate, retail savvy people who have a knowledge of the body and how it works. MBT is hoping to have at least 15 concept stores in Australia in the next two and a half years.