From: ASAP
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Federated Department Stores, Inc., today announced its New York-based Federated Merchandising Group (FMG) division has signed agreements to supply leading department stores in Australia, Chile and Peru with the company's well-known private brand merchandise.
Myer Grace Brothers, Australia's largest department store operator, will begin carrying a broad range of Federated brands -- including Charter Club, Style & Co. and Jennifer Moore women's apparel; Alfani for men; and Greendog children's wear - in March 2002. With 69 total locations, Myers Grace Brothers is an Australian brand icon with more than 100 years of heritage.
Ripley, South America's second-largest department store operator, will begin this month to sell I.N.C. International Concepts women's apparel and Tools of the Trade cookware in six major stores in Santiago, Chile, and Lima, Peru. Greendog will be added in February 2002.
These new agreements build on FMG's success in Japan, where I.N.C. departments opened this year in 15 department stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and other major cities under a license agreement with Kosugi Sangyo Co., Ltd. The number of in-store I.N.C. departments in Japan is expected to increase to 30 within two years. In addition, the world's first free-standing I.N.C. store opened in Tokyo's new Triton Square development in April.
"As the world marketplace becomes increasingly smaller, Federated continues to develop strategic alliances with non-competing retailers to leverage our investment in private brand development, as well as to strengthen the brand names through international exposure," said FMG President Leonard Marcus. "In doing so, we are uniquely able to provide leading department stores with high quality, trend-setting fashion merchandise exclusive to their markets without the significant cost associated with their development."
In supplying international markets, all Federated private brand merchandise conforms to local legal and regulatory requirements, as well as preferences for style, size and color - within the overall brand identity and graphic and merchandising standards. The result is a turnkey opportunity for well-established department stores to enhance sales and margins. Merchandise sold under Federated's private brand names is concepted, designed, sourced and marketed by FMG.
"Federated's brands succeed in the U.S. -- as well as worldwide -- because we deliver genuine value to the customer," said Susan Bertelsen, FMG's senior vice president for new business development. "Our merchandise is high-quality and current fashion, but at price points that the customer recognizes as a value. We offer genuinely differentiated merchandise that drives traffic and builds loyalty for a store.
"With our initial success in Japan, and these new agreements in Australia and South America, we will continue to be aggressive in pursuing strategies for partnering with retailers around the globe in the coming years," she said. "It provides a whole new frontier for Federated."
Federated, with corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York, is one of the nation's leading department store retailers, with annual sales of more than $18.4 billion. Federated currently operates more than 450 stores in 34 states, Guam and Puerto Rico, under the names of Macy's, Bloomingdale's, The Bon Marche, Burdines, Goldsmith's, Lazarus and Rich's, as well as macys.com, bloomingdales.com and Bloomingdale's By Mail. Federated also operates the Fingerhut catalog and e-commerce subsidiary.
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