Global craft retailer, Crafter’s Companion, has announced plans to move its US headquarters to a larger space in Corona, California following a huge growth in sales from $12m to an estimated $22m over the past two years.
The new office and warehouse, which will be 31,000 sq. ft, has been primarily driven by increased demand from key accounts including the Home Shopping Network (HSN), Notions Marketing, Amazon.com and fellow retailers such as Tuesday Morning and Hobby Lobby.
Sara Davies MBE said: “It’s fantastic to see such an increase in demand for our products in the US market. When we opened our office in Santa Ana, California, in 2016, I could not have envisioned this level of growth, although I always knew our products would be well received by customers in North America.
“A big part of our success in this market has been down to a great partnership with HSN. Its team has supported our brand for many years and enabled us to bring our innovations to their well-established and loyal customer base.”
The company is currently recruiting for several new positions across customer service, compliance and design to join the current team of 30. Among Crafter’s Companion’s new appointments are two senior recruits that will both be based in the company’s new US headquarters.
Lister Hargreaves joins the team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Having previously worked at AkzoNobel, he brings over 17 years’ experience of the global finance industry to the role.
Kelli Snowgold has also been promoted to the newly created role of VP of Commercial Strategy. She will be responsible for developing and driving the business growth strategy and overseeing sales and marketing, including the management of products.
Sara continued: “This latest expansion, together with a strengthened senior leadership team, provides us with a solid platform to further increase our US presence and develop our product portfolio to meet customers’ evolving needs. It’s a very exciting time for our business and we can’t wait to see what the next few years will bring.
“I’m delighted to welcome Lister to the Crafter’s Companion family. We’re confident his experience will be hugely beneficial for us as we continue to grow. Likewise, we’re delighted to congratulate Kelli on her new role, she’s become a big part of the business since joining us earlier this year and I’m sure she’ll continue to be an integral part of the team moving forward.”
Commenting on his new appointment, Lister said: “I am very excited to be joining Crafter’s Companion as I’ve had close connections to the company’s UK team from the start and have watched the company grow over the last 13 years.
“I am confident that I can draw on past experiences to help build a platform for our continued and sustainable future growth in the North American craft market. I’m looking forward to getting started.”
Crafter’s Companion is a market-leading craft retailer headquartered in the North-East of England. Founded in 2005, the company now employs over 150 staff and exports products to Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and North and South America.
Having traditionally sold its products online, through independent retailers and on TV shopping channels across the world, Crafter’s Companion opened its first three UK stores between 2016 and 2017. For more information visit www.crafterscompanion.co.uk or www.crafterscompanion.com
