Jellybean Expands into Non-Traditional Markets

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/22/2009 12:00:00 AM

Atlanta —

Home Comfort Inc., parent company of accent rug brand Jellybean, is generating “sharp increases” in business from its pursuit beyond traditional gift store markets and into untapped retail channels.

The company attributes the spike to an increase in category assortments as well as the introduction of a “merchandiser on wheels” in-store marketing display and tool.

“We have started thinking out of the box with reference to where the Jellybean rug can find placement,” said Rusty Boone, evp of sales and marketing. “Once we had our displayer in place, we found that by having specific categories that appealed to different types of retailers we have been able to expand into non-traditional gift retailers.”

Home Comfort has recently broadened its product mix to include more styles by theme that can be grouped in a single “merchandiser on wheels” display.

For example, under the garden theme, the company has branched out into nurseries. Similarly, under the animals category, Jellybean rugs have found a home in pet shops. Fruit and vegetable patterns are suitable for sale at grocery and hardware stores with small home décor departments, Home Comfort said.

“In today’s economy, we are working very hard to uncover new customers for our products, and it seems to be working,” Boone said. “Our silent salesman, the wood displayer on wheels, takes up little floor space and does the work for the retailer.”

Jellybean-branded accent rugs, which are trademarked by name, are machine washable and made to be used both indoors and outdoors.