Welspun is moving to layer a licensing business onto its well-established position as a private label bedding supplier.

Welspun USA CEO Julie McKenzie  says the company is in “active” discussions on 11 potential licensing deals; it already has licenses with Buzzfeed (Goodful brand bedding due at Macy’s this fall) and wellness technology developer Delos (Stay Well brand for sheets, duvets, pillows and comforters at a national retailer next April). It also sells Wimbledon towels.

The push for licensing began in earnest last year with the hiring of McKenzie, a former Nickelodeon executive, in August 2017. That was followed by former Croscill executive Chris Mooney joining the company as Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer in April.

Welspun “knew they had to bring some people with brand expertise into the building because while private label is and will continue to be core, there are some categories where brands matter such as fashion bedding,” says McKenzie. “The company knew its wheelhouse wasn’t chasing” licensed business, but “now we have a sales, marketing and merchandising office that is responsible for driving new business.”

McKenzie conceded that establishing a licensing business at Welspun required some “internal salesmanship” to convince the company’s management.

“Welspun has the manufacturing and R&D expertise, but the licensing initiative is being mined entirely differently,” she says. “We are a company that has existed on really long runs of core” private label products. Licensing is “going to mean shorter lifecycles and quicker turns, but we know it is necessary to layer on a new business and grow it the way we want to.”

As part of the new effort, Welspun has assembled a consumer panel 3,000-4,000 people who can be polled regularly on fashion and bedding trends. The data derived from the panels will be used to assess regional and national trends among various demographic groups.

Contact:

Welspun USA, Julie McKenzie, CEO, 917-790-3031. mckenziej@welspunusa.com