GB eye’s Emily Aldridge on European expansion and the launch of its Eco-range.
With 2020 now in full swing, many in the industry will be hoping to move on from the uncertainty that swirled throughout 2019.
Source catches up with a selection of licensees to ask them about their hopes and fears for 2020, from both a business and a personal point of view.
Today: Emily Aldridge, head of licensing, GB eye
“We are on a real trajectory of growth right now and looking ahead to 2020 our hopes centre around continued expansion of our footprint in Europe through GB eye Europe BV.
Having a robust and localised European presence will ensure we maintain our current trading relations with our extensive customer base and be pivotal in ensuring we remain highly relevant and able to react quickly, whether logistically or to meet market trends – regardless of the Brexit outcome.
Other ‘hopes’ include the success of our Eco-range. Hot on the trend of sustainability, we are expanding our range to include new product formats that have proven to be a success, setting a good platform for us to further reduce our carbon footprint in both the manufacturing and distribution areas of our business which is, of course, a key objective of ours in the years to come.
Regarding our fears for 2020, and where we see the biggest challenges, is the continuing political uncertainty and confusion surrounding Brexit plans. These will continue to be a factor impacting our business decisions, but it is something we are well prepared for, having planned for all the possible outcomes – whether through targeted marketing strategies, localised logistics or the development of effective routes to market for all our key ranges.”
This feature originally appeared in the spring 2020 edition of Licensing Source Book. To read the full publication, click on this link.
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