SUSY Griffiths proudly admits that selling her hot bod will earn her many millions of dollars.
SUSY Griffiths proudly admits that selling her hot bod will earn her many millions of dollars.
She says her special brand of hot bod is notching up $1.7 million in sales in Australia and overseas and she expects three-fold growth within a few years as she progresses an expansion strategy into Europe and the US.
“Well it’s really more a case of selling hundreds of thousands of hot bods,” Griffiths says.
“But I guess the reason we are doing so well is because we spent time making sure we had a quality product.”
Griffiths is, of course, talking about the cuddly-wheat filled products her company, HotBods Creatures Pty Ltd, exports to Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Europe from her Belmont-based factory.
The managing director of the four-year-old company predicts she will turn over $6.5 million within three years as the benefits of a marketing campaign to Europe and the US are realised.
This represents a “minor dent” in a potentially huge global market, she says.
“My suspicions were confirmed in February at a trade fair in Birmingham, England, where out of 4,500 exhibitors there were just two stands selling products with a remote resemblance to HotBods Creatures,” Griffiths says.
“We fielded inquiries from so many spots around the globe.”
HotBods Creatures can be warmed in the microwave to provide comfort to children and their therapeutic value has been proven as an aid to insomnia, nausea, colic, stress, tension, headaches, colds and muscular aches and pains.
They can also be cooled in the refrigerator to give therapeutic relief.
They have been adapted to a range of shapes including koala bears, bumble bees, ladybirds, rabbits, flowers, eye pillows and neck warmers.
The continuously expanded product range also includes corporate packs.
Since 1996, the company that began with a staff of just two people, has grown to employ 12 people, 40 sewing subcontractors, and last financial year it turned over $1.7 million.
Export earnings comprise 70 per cent of revenue with the remainder sold to domestic department stores, retail outlets such as homeware stores, children’s stores, pharmacies, craft shops and medical outlets.
It is a sweet tale of success about a product that found its origin in Griffith’s desperate quest to overcome sleepless nights with an unsettled baby.
She tried a range of techniques recommended by “child-care experts” before gaining success with a warmed wheat-filled pillow.
“To my surprise these wheat pillows, which were commonly used by the pioneer settlers, did just the trick in settling my son who was a notorious non-sleeper.
“He took the warmed pillow, just rolled over and cuddled into it.
“I thought ‘this is too easy’ and I decided to make some up into cuddly animals and trial them with my friends’ children. ”
Griffiths initially focused on the domestic market, concentrating on parents, babies and children’s expos.
“In the first year I wrote $125,000 in hand written invoices and when I was told that I’d have to send my accounts on something less flimsy, my then part-time packer Zena Clausen set something up on the computer for me,” Griffiths says.
“Zena, who is now my full-time manager, is living testimony to the importance of choosing good staff for your company.”
A global debut came in 1999 with the appointment of a Japanese distributer, Takakura Industries.
This led to monthly container shipments to Japan and further sales were made to France, Ireland, England, Singapore and Malaysia.
Eighteen months ago Griffiths’ husband Glenn joined HotBods as export marketing manager.
A distributor, Tamasek has been appointed to handle sales in Singapore and Malaysia and an agent is being sought for Korea and Taiwan.
“I believe it’s imperative to appoint a good distributor to succeed in overseas markets.
“You need someone who knows the laws and who sees it as being in their interests to protect our position in their local market place.”
Griffiths says, with the assistance of Austrade, she has won a two-year battle with US trade authorities to gain clearance of the wheat-filled products.
HotBods will appoint a distributor for this market which she estimates has an annual sales value of $2.4 million.
Europe, with it’s colder climate and rising appetite for therapeutic products, will also generate similar sales.
She says her special brand of hot bod is notching up $1.7 million in sales in Australia and overseas and she expects three-fold growth within a few years as she progresses an expansion strategy into Europe and the US.
“Well it’s really more a case of selling hundreds of thousands of hot bods,” Griffiths says.
“But I guess the reason we are doing so well is because we spent time making sure we had a quality product.”
Griffiths is, of course, talking about the cuddly-wheat filled products her company, HotBods Creatures Pty Ltd, exports to Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Europe from her Belmont-based factory.
The managing director of the four-year-old company predicts she will turn over $6.5 million within three years as the benefits of a marketing campaign to Europe and the US are realised.
This represents a “minor dent” in a potentially huge global market, she says.
“My suspicions were confirmed in February at a trade fair in Birmingham, England, where out of 4,500 exhibitors there were just two stands selling products with a remote resemblance to HotBods Creatures,” Griffiths says.
“We fielded inquiries from so many spots around the globe.”
HotBods Creatures can be warmed in the microwave to provide comfort to children and their therapeutic value has been proven as an aid to insomnia, nausea, colic, stress, tension, headaches, colds and muscular aches and pains.
They can also be cooled in the refrigerator to give therapeutic relief.
They have been adapted to a range of shapes including koala bears, bumble bees, ladybirds, rabbits, flowers, eye pillows and neck warmers.
The continuously expanded product range also includes corporate packs.
Since 1996, the company that began with a staff of just two people, has grown to employ 12 people, 40 sewing subcontractors, and last financial year it turned over $1.7 million.
Export earnings comprise 70 per cent of revenue with the remainder sold to domestic department stores, retail outlets such as homeware stores, children’s stores, pharmacies, craft shops and medical outlets.
It is a sweet tale of success about a product that found its origin in Griffith’s desperate quest to overcome sleepless nights with an unsettled baby.
She tried a range of techniques recommended by “child-care experts” before gaining success with a warmed wheat-filled pillow.
“To my surprise these wheat pillows, which were commonly used by the pioneer settlers, did just the trick in settling my son who was a notorious non-sleeper.
“He took the warmed pillow, just rolled over and cuddled into it.
“I thought ‘this is too easy’ and I decided to make some up into cuddly animals and trial them with my friends’ children. ”
Griffiths initially focused on the domestic market, concentrating on parents, babies and children’s expos.
“In the first year I wrote $125,000 in hand written invoices and when I was told that I’d have to send my accounts on something less flimsy, my then part-time packer Zena Clausen set something up on the computer for me,” Griffiths says.
“Zena, who is now my full-time manager, is living testimony to the importance of choosing good staff for your company.”
A global debut came in 1999 with the appointment of a Japanese distributer, Takakura Industries.
This led to monthly container shipments to Japan and further sales were made to France, Ireland, England, Singapore and Malaysia.
Eighteen months ago Griffiths’ husband Glenn joined HotBods as export marketing manager.
A distributor, Tamasek has been appointed to handle sales in Singapore and Malaysia and an agent is being sought for Korea and Taiwan.
“I believe it’s imperative to appoint a good distributor to succeed in overseas markets.
“You need someone who knows the laws and who sees it as being in their interests to protect our position in their local market place.”
Griffiths says, with the assistance of Austrade, she has won a two-year battle with US trade authorities to gain clearance of the wheat-filled products.
HotBods will appoint a distributor for this market which she estimates has an annual sales value of $2.4 million.
Europe, with it’s colder climate and rising appetite for therapeutic products, will also generate similar sales.
