Napoleon UK has adopted a strategy designed to double sales of its barbecues over the next two years.
Ron McArthur, president of Napoleon’s owners, Wolf Steel, says Napoleon UK’s growing base of stockists with a record of rapid sales growth of both barbecues and the lucrative accessories market after just four years of trading here, makes this an achievable target.
Brands offering premium quality at value prices are chiming strongly with consumers in the current market, strengthening Napoleon’s ambitions. Napoleon UK is positioning itself as a viable alternative to existing premium brands.
Napoleon, a family-owned Canadian company founded in 1976, now has wholly-owned subsidiaries and distributors in 25 countries around the world, with around 1000 employees. Many of its barbecues are still made in Canada. Napoleon’s UK recently appointment Andrew Foster as business development manager
The company’s Alliance Programme offers retailers the opportunity to earn generous rebates, early payment discounts and additional increased discounts and rebates when allied with the accessory programme. Sales manager Martin Sobey believes this is one of the most lucrative programmes available. Stockists who commit to a minimum percentage of their pre-season order in accessories get extra discounts and rebates on the whole order. “Accessories provide retailers with an enormous opportunity to make add-on sales,” said Martin. “In Austria for example they represent around 40% of the total sale.”
Meanwhile, extensive market research is helping them to refine and enhance the range with another objective in mind – to make it the best of its kind on the market.
It has resulted in exciting new products like the new PRO285 *(pictured with Ron McArthur on the front page) shown at Glee and the PRO22 Rodeo (demonstrated above by Martin Sobey), which sold out after receiving acclaim from buyers when a prototype was shown at Glee 2012.
Other planned retailer support activity includes ‘Grill Skills’ training sessions to give outdoor leisure department staff an opportunity to obtain detailed knowledge of Napoleon’s gas and charcoal barbecues and Barbecue Theatre appearances, engaging with a public audience at food shows and festivals during the year. Stockists will again be offered selling space alongside, free of charge. Martin Sobey says these spaces were snapped up last year. “It’s another way for us to demonstrate the commitment and tangible support we offer our stockists,” he said.
The demonstrations will focus on the simplicity of grilling great food and will encourage people away from the average comfort zone of bangers and burgers.
Information 01676 522788
www.napoleongrills.co.uk
