Australian Bag Maker Crumpler Rolls Out Expansion to China And Taiwan The announcement wraps up a successful 12-months journey for the brand in Asia
By Nidhi Singh
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Global expansion is an important milestone for a startup. It presents huge opportunities for startups and companies to sell their products and services in a broader market. However, China has become a favourite destination for entrepreneurs to look for their next growth opportunity. Iconic Australian baggage brand Crumpler is following a similar path. The company has expanded its international distributor network in Taiwan and Mainland China in partnership with Sea to Summit and Hwa Yao Trading Co., Ltd respectively.
Established in 1995, Crumpler was founded by Dave Roper, Will Miller & Stuart Crumpler. The company is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and has a European office in Berlin. It began as a messenger bag company but has since expanded its range, notably into laptop bags, camera bags and luggage/travel goods. Crumpler is continuously building its retail and online presence in Australia, the US and Asia with more than 27 storefronts and distribution across 35 key department store and online retailers worldwide.
One Year Journey To Success
The announcement wraps up a successful 12-months journey for Crumpler in Asia, now with a retail presence in six stores across the continent and five distributors across six countries. Partnerships with Sea To Summit and Hwa Yao Trading Co., Ltd is just the start of company's expansion plan across Asia guided by Australian-based chief executive officer Adam Wilkinson.
"Asia is our fastest growing market outside of Australia, so increasing our distributor network and retailer presence in China and Taiwan is vital for us to meet the demands of current and new customers. We're thrilled to partner with Sea to Summit China and Hwa Yao Trading Co., Ltd Taiwan to grow our bricks and mortar presence and give even more customers what they want – bags that look good and will stand the test of time," says Wilkinson.
Expanding Brand Presence & Reach
Distributors Sea to Summit and Hwa Yao Trading Co., Ltd are eager to increase Crumpler's presence in their respective regions.
"A lot of Chinese consumers are already fans of the Crumpler brand and with our middle-class rapidly growing, now is the time to re-introduce Crumpler's premium travel, lifestyle and work bags and accessories to a wider market, with a particular focus on department stores and shopping malls," says Barry Lin, Sales Director, Sea to Summit China.
"Quality is our primary focus when aligning with a new brand which makes Crumpler a natural fit for the Hwa Yao Trading Co., Ltd. The retail market is evolving in Taiwan hence we're excited to bring the reputable bags brand into the market. We forecast it will be a successful ongoing partnership", says Vincent Kao, chief executive officer, Hwa Yao Trading Co., Ltd.
