Federated's Goods Heading Overseas

Federated Department Stores (Cincinnati) has announced that its Federated Merchandising Group (FMG) will be supplying department stores in Australia, Chile and Peru with some of the retailer's private label merchandise.

In March 2002, Myer Grace Brothers, Australia's largest department store operator, will begin carrying such Federated brands as Charter Club, Style & Co. and Jennifer Moore women's apparel; Alfani for men; and Greendog children's wear in its 69 locations.

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 freestanding 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.”

FMG, based in New York, was created by Federated about five years ago to build sales of its private label goods, through improving both the merchandise and the in-store presentations.