Shoemaker Olympikus "toppled" Nike as the best seller in Brazil this year, "reclaiming its crown" after being in second place since '11, according to Sciaudone & Sambo of BLOOMBERG. The Brazilian brand "triumphed" after parent company Vulcabras Azaleia went through a three-year restructuring, sped up production and joined the Novo Mercado segment of the BM&FBovespa stock exchange. The firm, which recently implemented a 45-day turnaround from order to delivery, "gives retailers no excess inventory to set out on sale racks." CEO Pedro Bartelle said, "Our competitive advantage is to be quick." Brazil’s "success in luring" the World Cup and Olympic Games "backfired" on Olympikus. Its sneakers, which average about R$200 ($60), "lost footing when foreign brands aggressively barged into the country to take advantage." Now that the sporting world has moved on, "the shine is off" the more expensive Nike and adidas imports. While labor costs in Brazil are three times what they are in Asia -- meaning Vulcabras cannot compete abroad -- the "lead time and relatively lower costs of doing business in tariff-happy Brazil give Olympikus a boost" (BLOOMBERG, 12/12).
