EGG cracks new Asian export market

News release
July 9, 2007

EGG cracks new Asian export market

‘World domination’ is a phrase that probably wouldn’t sit very comfortably with the co-owners of one of New Zealand’s leading designer maternity wear labels.

But with the opening of EGG’s 16th new store in Singapore, you get the feeling the six year-old New Zealand company has its eyes on being a global giant in the lucrative pregnancy wear market.

Singapore is brand new territory for Colyn Devereux-Kay and Charlotte Devereux, mother and daughter co-owners of EGG. However, the company already has successful franchise beachheads in Australia and the Philippines as well as 30 selected stockists in the United States.

As a result, EGG now exports more products than it sells locally.

EGG co-owner Colyn Devereux-Kay says she expects the expansion of the company into Singapore to grow its annual exports to 60 percent of turnover this financial year.

Ms Devereux-Kay says their investigations revealed a gap in the Singapore market for fashionable and quality maternity clothing.

“It has been a common refrain in every new market we’ve entered,” she says. “Mothers-to-be just can’t find fashionable garments to wear. It’s the basis on which the business was founded in New Zealand and one that is successfully carrying us into our offshore markets. We have already had really positive feedback from ex-pat mothers-to-be who have heard about the new store opening.”

Ms Devereux-Kay attributes part of the success of the EGG range offshore to the fact that most of the garments are made in New Zealand.

“Eighty percent of our garments are now made locally. We have increased this from 60 percent because we find the quality of the New Zealand-manufactured product to be superior.”

The new Singapore franchise opens for business on July 27 and is in the high profile VivoCity shopping complex. Franchise owner is ex-pat Kiwi Rochelle Angus who has been living in Singapore for the past seven years.

“I believe there is a very good business opportunity with this franchise and I am confident that both ex-pats and locals alike will respond extremely well to this brand,” Ms Angus says.

“Our philosophy is to provide a relaxing shopping experience amongst the buzz of VivoCity where the husbands can relax, the kids can play and mum can shop.”

EGG was founded in 2001 in Auckland, New Zealand by Colyn and Charlotte who, pregnant with her first child, could not find any stylish maternity wear. The two recognised a business opportunity and started EGG.

ENDS

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