Australian stationery brand Smiggle sees potential for up to 200 stores over five years in the UK.
Australian stationery brand Smiggle sees potential for up to 200 stores over five years in the UK.
BACK TO THE BEGINNING
Smiggle is a colourful stationery brand born in Australia in 2003. It describes itself as ‘fashion-forward stationery’. The first Smiggle store opened in Melbourne and the concept took off, with the company soon hitting 20 stores. It subsequently caught the eye of the Just Group, an Australian retail group which also holds a range of retail brands, including Just Jeans, Jacqui E, Jay Jays, Portmans, Peter Alexander and Dotti, along with Smiggle, which joined the group in 2007. A year later Premier Investments obtained a controlling interest in Just Group Ltd.
ON OFFER TODAY
The product range offers fun fashion stationery, and its goal is to deliver original, fun and affordable stationery. Smiggle products are about great design and innovation, bold colour, quirky graphics and great value. It has a clearly defined brand proposition and a distinct identity.
WHERE TO TOMORROW?
In 2008 Smiggle expanded overseas, opening its first international store in New Zealand, expanding three year’s later into Singapore.
Smiggle UK was successfully launched in February 2014, with eight stores now operating with strong sales and customer acceptance. A further 10 high-profile sites are planned to open before Christmas 2014. Smiggle UK expects to have between 25 and 30 stores operating by the end of FY15. Premier Retail continues to believe the opportunity for Smiggle in the UK is substantial, with the personal stationery category valued at $2.4 bn (€1.7 bn) and a real estate climate conducive to achieving a strong market footprint. Management continues to see the potential for up to 200 stores over five years in the UK.
It's all part of a grand plan to be the world's most exciting and famous stationery brand.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Sales:Smiggle achieved record sales in the 2013/14 financial year with sales growth of 17.4% and total sales exceeding $100 mln for the first time. Strong like-for-like growth was achieved in all of its existing markets (Australia, Singapore and New Zealand). In Australia it opened five new stores and continues to invest in existing store upgrades and product innovation. Smiggle Singapore opened two new stores in 2014 with 18 stores now trading profitably. Its 19th store will open at Great World City with an additional three stores under negotiation to be opened in 2015.
Nr of stores worldwide: Trading as a 100% own-brand, as at October 2014 Smiggle operated over 120 stores in Australia, 23 in New Zealand, 18 in Singapore and 12 in the UK. Smiggle has a policy of no franchising and no character licensing with all goods shipped over from the East Asia.
Nr of employees worldwide: Not available
Nicky Godding
Retail editor
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