FRESHMAN BRAND PROFILE A breath of fresh air
After much deliberation, Freshman Guitars is branching out into the global market. It’s a big move, but Adam Savage finds out from Sean Kelly that UK retailers needn’t worry about being forgotten – the UK is still the brand’s home…
W
hen a business is going through a profitable period – with consistent growth and a steady increase in
reputation – it is tempting to head for the next level and continue the pattern. This is, of course, understandable, but attempting to move too quickly has also been the downfall for many companies – not just in MI – which is why Freshman Guitars has only now decided to expand outside of the UK. Speaking to the company’s owner Sean
Kelly, it becomes clear that the firm could have actually made this decision years ago, as it has been attracting worldwide interest for quite some time. “We’ve had a number of international
enquiries over the last three or four years, but we didn’t feel we were quite ready for it,” explains Kelly. “We wanted to solidify the brand and make sure the quality is maintained before making a decision like that. “Since then, we’ve gone through a process of evolution and when the enquiries started again, we felt that this time we were ready.” Businesses saying they’re going international can mean anything from testing the water in one or two countries, or really going for it on a major scale by setting up distribution deals in multiple far-reaching locations worldwide.
In Freshman’s case, it would probably be fair
Freshman: branching out, but staying true
to categorise it firmly between the two. It will use the next year to assess its global potential, which is where Musikmesse comes in. “We’re going to be at Frankfurt for the first time this year and we’re just asking people to come and have a look at what we offer,” says Kelly. “It’s a long term thing. We’ve put together a three year plan and as Musikmesse is the show for the world, this will help us establish what we believe to be key territories for us.” These comprise Europe, Canada and Australia. In previous discussions with MI Pro (2005 and 2009) the main theme was Freshman’s continuing and steady growth. The latest report shows that this hasn’t just carried on, but has stepped up another gear, with 2010 being an exceptional year for the brand. There’s no denying this is great news for the company, but Kelly is keen to stress that this progress will benefit its dealer network too. “I feel that Freshman has really come of age.
We haven’t just done well in tough economic times, we’ve also stuck to our guns and helped generate profit for stores, which has helped us build our relationship with them,” he reveals. When Freshman was contacted last year by
several major retailers all on the hunt for high quality, money-making products for their stores, the manufacturer was able to offer
several solutions to these requests, but the Apollo series remains the undisputed flagship of the Freshman fleet. In May 2010, this acoustic range was doing
so well, Freshman’s stock level couldn’t keep up with the numbers being shifted, but now the company is in a much better position to cope. “Apollo has gone from strength to strength.
We’ve now got a much higher stock level and all the models consistently sell through,” reports Kelly. “The success we’ve gained from Apollo has also spread through the Freshman range, leading to astonishing reviews from various magazines and musicians.” It won’t just be using Musikmesse to get its name out there, there will also be new gear, including the next Apollos. The firm hopes Apollo 4 can maintain the excitement generated by its three predecessors in the range, and a new high-end model – the FA600 – will slot in nicely alongside the 400 and 500. Kelly is also clear that although Freshman is
growing, he is aware of the obstacles facing the typical MI retailer. Despite deciding to branch out, the UK – and its network of dealers here – remains the number one priority. “For us, the export market is sort of our ‘Plan
B’. Plan A is to carry on working as closely as possible with the UK, supporting the retailers and solidifying our relationships with them.”
miPRO MARCH 2011 25
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