Austrade media release

Monday, 22 October 2007

Local businesses across Australia will have the opportunity to learn innovative strategies to enter the multi-trillion dollar United States retail market and access a unique distribution method at a free nationwide road show organised by Austrade taking place from 22-26 October.

The national road show, entitled ‘New Pathways to US Retail’, has already attracted over 460 businesses nationally keen to hear Austrade’s team of specialist US Export Advisers discuss legal requirements for exporters to the US and how to make inroads into the US retail market.

Shane Yeend, Imagination International’s CEO, will also discuss his experiences of exporting to the US and talk about the launch of his new distribution project designed to assist fellow Australian businesses wanting to enter the US market.

Chris Rees, Austrade’s Senior Manager, said Adelaide-based Imagination International, which Austrade has assisted to enter the US retail market, has grown to become a global, multi-platform media and game company that creates, manufactures and distributes compelling interactive entertainment.

“The US retail market is the largest and most competitive in the world, so the opportunity to hear the experiences of a successful Australian company, like Imagination International, will be invaluable to other businesses considering entering or expanding in this challenging market,” Mr Rees said.

“Imagination’s distribution network in the US alone outweighs most of the country's largest distributors. Using theirdistribution reach, Imagination will offer the opportunity to help Australian exporters looking to move their product into the US retail market,” he said.

Shane Yeend said the program dubbed ‘Australian Export Idol’ will select 12 Australian businesses annually to help secure shelf space with the biggest retailers in the US.

“We’re offering a way to fast-track into exporting, leveraging our supply chain infrastructure and retail relationships. If it works in the USA it will work anywhere. Imagination will act as the wholesaler and introduce the successful idols to the likes of US retail giants Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Walgreens, and Bed Bath & Beyond,” Mr Yeend said.

“Having a great product is only half the battle; distribution is the key. The aim is to assist great Australian ideas or successful products by using Imagination’s 10 years of experience and 85,000 storefronts in retail across the US.

“Our first trial product selling direct to retail from an Australian inventor was a Cupcake Courier which in August became the year’s fastest seller on the US Home Shopping Network and is now sold at Linens and Things, Dillards, Rite Aid and Wal-Mart totalling 11,347 stores. Selling just one unit per store each week equates to 590,044 units per year,” he said.

Mr Rees said the selection panel will include three members from Imagination International – Shane Yeend, CEO; Chad Hetherington, Special Projects Manager- Retail Sector and Steven Komarnitsky, Marketing Manager for the US – and representatives from Bed Bath & Beyond and the Home Shopping Network.

“Imagination International has already signed two Australian businesses, Kableflags and Eye-in, both of whom have been part of Austrade’s New Exporter Development Program and now have the chance to secure shelf space with the biggest retailers in the USA,” Mr Rees said.

Kableflags develop plastic tags designed to attach to electrical cords or data cords to identify the cords’ purpose and are now selling to the Home Shopping Network.

While Eye-in Pty Ltd, manufacturer of Warm Up and Hit Up sporting equipment for the baseball sector, are being reviewed by a number of sports store chains across the US.

Austrade provides extensive support for Australian exporters in the US market with representation in 19 US cities, eight specialist industry teams and a network of US Export Advisers around Australia.

The week long national road show kicks off in Brisbane on Monday then moves to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide with direct video conferencing to Canberra, Hobart and Darwin.

Chris Rees, Austrade’s Senior Manager and Shane Yeend, CEO Imagination Entertainment, are available for media
interviews.

ENDS

Media contact

Sarkis Khoury
Senior Media Advisor
Tel: +61 2 9390 2118
Mob: +61 414 401 072
Email: sarkis.khoury@austrade.gov.au



For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre.