Reef will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009, Transworld Business interviewed Dave Gatto, President of VF Corp’s Outdoor Americas Coalition, here's his take on how Reef fits into VF’s stable of brands, what the future holds for the company, and his strategy for weathering tough economic times.
How does Reef fit into the overall strategy of VF Corp’s outdoor coalition?
The outdoor coalition is one of the leading sectors of VF’s business. VF recognizes the long term growth opportunities, as well as the marketability of authentic lifestyle brands. Reef fits that niche perfectly, and will remain an anchor of the outdoor coalition.
How is the brand performing in the current economic climate?
The brand is performing as to be expected in this new environment. The Reef customer is loyal, but they are instinctually cutting back on unnecessary spending… this exacerbates the ripple effect of a faltering economy. In the 25 years that Reef has been in business, the company has seen recessions before, the way to come out on top is to stay focused on the consumer, foster the relationships we have with our accounts, our vendors and our factories to help work through these tough times. We all know there can be a huge up-swing when the market recovers; it’s just a matter of adjusting the business responsibly to survive the lulls and hopefully emerge a stronger, more efficient brand.
How important is the US market to Reef?
The U.S. market is crucial to Reef. Trends originate here and trickle down into other markets, our headquarters are here and this is where the brand direction is set. Right now, there is a big emphasis on China as an explosive growth market. This year we went direct, with an office in Hong Kong.
Read the full interview by Josh Hunter at Transworld Business
No comments:
Post a Comment