We speak with Mikhel Ruia, Glenmuir and Sunderland of Scotland Managing Director.
How has the early season been so far for Glenmuir and Sunderland of Scotland?
The year has started very well and pre-books for the AW22 season are also strong. A sincere thank you goes to all of our customers, suppliers and teams in Lanark and in the 29 countries we have a presence in for their unwavering commitment and support. Demand for men’s golf shirt and ladies’ shirts have remained robust especially in printed and patterned styles as well as our men’s golf midlayers and our ever popular ladies’ golf trousers and skorts. Sunderland of Scotland seems to be serving our customers really well too at the moment.
Are you still being affected by some of the covid created logistics delays and if so how are you dealing with them?
We are still facing upward pricing pressure on the supply side from raw materials, costs for workmanship and freight. These all lead to higher costs for us but as we are all also facing a global environment where the consumer is experiencing increased energy costs, rising food bills and uncertainty around the war and the COVID pandemic, we have tried to limit any price increases as best as possible. We also carry the largest stock of apparel in the golf industry which allows us to continue to serve our customers as they react to their golf consumer demand.
What are the main focuses for the brands this year?
Since our beginnings in 1891, our purpose was, is and always will be to craft the world’s most loved golf clothing. We will not compromise on the quality of product, service or embroidery despite the various headwinds we are all facing in this inflationary economy. The use of sustainable fabrics and environmentally responsible methods of manufacturing remains a key focus for our collections.
You look to be increasing your marketing efforts this year, what have you been doing to get more eyes on the brand?
Our most powerful marketing tool has always been and remains word of mouth. The lifetime value of our customers is extremely high with golfers putting their trust in the brand and our clothing season after season. This year we have started some more traditional forms of marketing such as catalogue, letters and soon a brand new Sky TV campaign, watch this space! We also partnered with the new and improved Trilby Tour which will include female golfers for the first time in its history. Our messaging for all of these initiatives are clear – put your trust in Scotland’s golf brands by visiting your pro shop or our website to experience the world’s most loved golf clothing.
Why should a retailer start stocking Glenmuir and Sunderland if they don’t already?
There are 3 simple reasons:
- Our elegantly designed classic products attract best in class retail margins
- Our comprehensive stock service allows retailers to replenish quickly and efficiently
- Our market leading in-house embroidery service makes us the trusted number one choice for club, corporate and event golf clothing.
