British sporting retailer Wiggle has opened a Sydney office to better serve its Australian customers. Opened September 1, the Australian office is the first overseas presence for the UK company.
“Sport is at the heart of Australia’s history, culture and community, so it’s no surprise that the market has become one of our biggest overseas territories in the very short time that we’ve been trading here," said Wiggle CEO Stefan Barden. “It was therefore important for us to put something back into the community and invest in local jobs, get involved with local sports events and work alongside the excellent cycling safety and advocacy groups, the Amy Gillett Foundation and Bicycle Network.”
Stepping in as the general manager for Australia, is Adam Johnson — former CEO of lastminuet.com Australia, and travel.com.au.
“We are proud to be supporting Australian cyclists, runners, swimmers and triathletes through sponsorships and the establishment of Wiggle Australia. And we recognise the support we have seen from our Australian customers and the need to invest in the community, with this sponsorship beginning in March,” Johnson said in a press release.
This announcement comes only a few months after FE sports, the Australian distributor of brands like Stages, Wahoo, Bolle and Skratch Labs; announced they would no longer consider supporting the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF), due to their partnership with Wiggle.
The international expansion of Wiggle will likely come at the dismay of local retailers, who often struggle to compete on price with Wiggle and other overseas companies.