PETALING JAYA: Home-grown footwear and accessories brand XES Shoes, operated by Shellys Marketing Sdn Bhd, marked a major milestone with the opening of its 156th outlet in Malaysia, reflecting more than two decades of steady growth and its continued commitment to providing affordable and comfortable footwear.
Founded in 2002, Shellys Marketing has grown XES Shoes from a single store in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur, into a recognised name across Malaysia, with a retail network spanning nine states.
Its multi-format store strategy, centred on affordable outlet and studio formats in hypermarkets while complemented by premium and signature stores in shopping malls, enables the brand to serve a diverse consumer needs across both value-oriented and lifestyle-focused retail environments.
Today, XES Shoes offers more than 1,000 products across its brand portfolio – XES Shoes, catering to a wide range of career and casual footwear needs, and Refresh, focused on sport-style footwear.
The diversified portfolio, combined with a strong focus on design, comfort and affordability, has allowed XES Shoes to build a loyal and growing customer base.
Shellys Marketing CEO Simpson Wong shared, “We have grown steadily with a clear vision to make XES Shoes a trusted and go-to household footwear brand for Malaysians. Our focus has always been on delivering comfortable footwear to our customers, supported by strong retail operations, technical know-how in footwear, efficient value chain management and continuous product innovation.
“Our journey has received national recognition, highlighted by our inclusion in the Malaysia Book of Records in 2022 for operating the most outlets among Malaysian shoe brands, alongside attaining Superbrands Malaysia status in 2020. The opening of our 156th outlet in Sungai Siput, Perak, reflects the positive momentum we have built over the years, and we see further opportunities to expand our reach across the country.”
In line with its next phase of growth, Shellys Marketing welcomed an investment from Ekuiti Nasional Bhd (Ekuinas), which has acquired a controlling stake in the company. The partnership will support XES Shoes in scaling its operations, strengthening its retail and e-commerce presence, and enhancing its overall capabilities to better serve Malaysian consumers.
Ekuinas CEO Aliff Omar Mohamad Omar said, “This investment reflects Ekuinas’ continued focus on advancing homegrown companies with strong growth potential.
Malaysia’s store-based retail industry is projected to reach RM365.9 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of approximately 6% from 2024 to 2029. XES Shoes is well-positioned to tap into these opportunities. The company has built a solid and scalable platform in the domestic retail space, with a proven model tailored to Malaysia’s value-driven consumer segment and significant headroom to expand into underpenetrated states.
“We will work closely with the management team to strengthen its operating model, broaden its retail and online footprint and and deepen its reach within the mass market, as we continue to back and scale strong Malaysian brands into leading national players.”
XES Shoes’ strong fundamentals support its expansion plans, with strategic locations identified for future store rollouts to further deepen market presence and expand its geographical footprint.
