Bata is the leading Italian shoe retailer and is present on the domestic market with the brands Bata and Athletes World. It now boasts a widespread network of over 500 direct and franchised shops both in Italy and abroad.The Bata Group is the world's leading shoe manufacturing and marketing company. Founded in 1894 by Tomas Bata, it operates extensively in over 70 countries worldwide through subsidiaries owned by the Bata family-owned parent company and a network of 5,000 shops serving more than one million customers a day.