A Swansea-based giftware company that has achieved 35% European sales growth is launching an ambitious expansion programme that could see its EU sales hit £6 million within two years.
Something Different Wholesale, which turned over £3 million in Europe last year, is rolling out four new language-specific websites, exhibiting at Europe’s largest giftware trade show and establishing a full Dutch trading operation to serve continental customers. The company expects to double European sales over the next two years.
The £11 million business, which employs 75 people in Llansamlet, has been supported by the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) and the Welsh Government Export programme, which has provided comprehensive expertise across multiple areas critical to the company’s European expansion.
The EU expansion strategy centres on three key initiatives. In February, Something Different Wholesale exhibited at Ambiente in Frankfurt, Europe’s premier giftware trade show supported by Welsh Government export support programmes. The business has also migrated to a .com domain and launched French, Dutch, German, and Spanish-language websites, each with localised URLs, to boost search visibility across Europe.
Business Wales AGP has helped the business develop a structured, market-specific approach to search-led growth across selected European territories and supported the company in optimising warehouse operations across its 160,000-square-foot facility. Specialist Export coaching helped the company develop a comprehensive roadmap for European compliance, and they have now created packaging in all 22 EU languages.
The company is also in the final stages of securing bonded warehouse status from HMRC, which will significantly reduce duty costs on exported goods and is expected to deliver savings of up to £5M over the first five years. The status will support European exports by optimising duty costs and improving cost efficiency for EU customers.
Anthony David, Managing Director of Something Different Wholesale, said:
“Europe represents our biggest growth opportunity, and we’re seeing extraordinary demand for our products. Achieving 35% European growth and turning over £3 million in that market last year proved there’s a real appetite for what we offer.
“The support we’ve received from AGP has been transformational. Our Relationship Manager, Carmel Gahan, brings deep expertise in manufacturing and e-commerce, and she understood exactly what we needed to scale our European operations. She connected us with the right specialists at the right time – from developing our search-led digital strategy for European markets to optimising our warehouse operations. That combination of Carmel’s strategic guidance and access to expert support has been invaluable in positioning us to compete confidently on the global stage.”
Since its formation in 1999, Something Different Wholesale has transformed from a small cash-and-carry operation into a design-led manufacturer, with over 80% of products now designed by its in-house Swansea team. HMV stocks Something Different Wholesale products across 113 UK stores and six European locations, while Next has partnered with the company for drop-shipping and in-store Christmas ranges.
Lucy Jones, Operations Manager of the Accelerated Growth Programme, said:
“Something Different Wholesale exemplifies the ambition we see in Wales’s high growth businesses. Anthony and his team have systematically removed every barrier to European success and we have been pleased to support them on their growth journey with continued expansion”.
