“Experience is the new retail currency”

Retail4Growth connected with Tanisha Jatia, Founder and Brand Lead of Urban Jungle, to explore how the brand is redefining retail through design innovation, youth-centric storytelling, and a strategic expansion plan.

Not every retail story begins with scale. Some begin with purpose. One brand that is making its mark by blending youthful energy, design innovation, and strategic expansion is Urban Jungle. Founded by Tanisha Jatia, the brand has swiftly carved a niche in the travel and lifestyle category by focusing on modern Indian travellers – Gen Zs, millennials, and young professionals who see travel not as an escape, but as self-expression.

When Urban Jungle opened its first exclusive brand outlet (EBO) at Phoenix Market City, Pune, it came as a strategic statement. “Pune ties in very well with our target audience,” says Tanisha, Founder and Brand Lead of Urban Jungle. “It’s a city buzzing with young, urban energy. The premium location allowed us to bring the brand’s personality alive.”

Encouraged by the success of its debut store, Urban Jungle recently launched its second outlet at Sky City Mall, Oberoi, Mumbai. “Mumbai captures the exact ethos of Urban Jungle,” Tanisha shares. “It reflects vibrancy and that spirit of adventure we stand for.”

With two stores performing beyond expectations, the brand is now eyeing 15–16 new stores in the next 12 months. The focus will largely remain on metro and tier-one cities, but there’s a strategic move toward tier-two markets as well.

Opportunities in Tier-2 markets

While Urban Jungle naturally appeals to metropolitan youth, the decision to expand into tier-two cities stems from a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour and aspiration. “Our audience is not confined to metros. Whether someone lives in Mumbai or Indore, millennials and Gen Zs today want products that mirror their individuality,” Tanisha explains.

Insights as the new currency

Despite being in the early stages of its retail journey, Urban Jungle is already leveraging physical stores as insight hubs. “Retail gives us a direct connection with consumers. The feedback we get, from colour preferences to design details, helps us continuously innovate,” says Tanisha.

This feedback loop, she explains, turns what could be a challenge into an opportunity. “It keeps us agile. The closer we are to our customers, the better we evolve with them.”

Localising experiences

A key differentiator in Urban Jungle’s retail expansion is its balance between consistency and local relevance. While the brand maintains a strong retail identity across all stores, be it premium fixtures, clean aesthetics or visual language, it smartly and thoughtfully localises experiences.

As Tanisha explains, “Urban Jungle store features a ‘hero wall’ that gives visitors a spot to click spontaneous selfies. We executed this to reflect the adventurous spirit of our brand. For us, adventure isn’t about faraway travel but about exploring something new, even in your own city.”

The road ahead

As Urban Jungle accelerates its retail footprint, the goal of the brand is to become India’s most loved travel brand for modern adventurers. In Tanisha’s words, “We’re not just selling bags. We’re building experiences around self-expression. Retail is just our way of bringing that story closer to the people who live it every day.”