Centra Flourishes on Global Fashion Scene - Reports over 50% increase in turnover
After a year marked by significant challenges for international commerce, Centra demonstrates impressive growth of over 50 percent in 2023.
In a year plagued by gloomy headlines in the e-commerce industry, characterized by inflation and cutbacks, Centra has successfully turned the challenging times into positive figures. In 2023, the company experienced a substantial 53 percent increase in turnover compared to the previous year.
Key to the success story has been to successfully expand on the international market. The majority of new sales revenue comes from the United Kingdom, where turnover increased by 1,350 percent.
Among the new companies that have expanded their business with Centra in the UK since 2023 are, among others, Paul Smith and Luca Faloni. There have also been significant successes in the Danish market, securing accounts with brands like Samsøe Samsøe and Rains.
Martin Jensen, CEO of Centra, reveals that they are preparing to open another office in 2024, this time in London. He believes a crucial aspect behind the successes in 2023 has been to specialize in addressing the specific challenges faced by fashion and lifestyle brands, such as how to optimize sales across various channels.
"We have concentrated on launching features specifically demanded by the fashion industry. We are all fashion enthusiasts driven by the desire to offer smart solutions to the brands we love, regardless of how they want to distribute their garments," says Martin Jensen.
How 2024 turns out remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: The retail industry is in for an interesting year. It is not just consumers demanding greater awareness of sustainability issues, with new EU directives imposing increased requirements for transparency and sustainability.
"Brands are facing entirely new requirements through the EU's new sustainability directives, such as DPP and CSRD. We have close dialogue with our clients to provide the kind of tools that they specifically demand," says Martin Jensen." says Martin Jensen.
Experienced consumer expert joins the cause
Centra is not only expanding when it comes to global markets, but also the number of employees. Last year, the workforce increased by 24 new additions in the USA, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Poland, and the trend continues in 2024.
The latest addition to the communications team is consumer expert Evelina Galli. Evelina has an editorial background on some of Sweden's largest tech sites. Her most recent position before Centra was at the price comparison site PriceRunner.
"My years at PriceRunner were a fantastic education in everything related to e-commerce. I’m so excited to join Centra, the technical platform is also incredibly advanced, which immediately spoke to my nerdy self," says Evelina Galli.
Centra’s 2023 in numbers:
Turnover: +53% YoY
Brands: 300+, including +40 in 2023
Markets: 90+
About Centra:
Centra is an advanced commerce platform for D2C and wholesale operations, currently market leading in enabling fashion and lifestyle brands to distribute their products, both in their own stores and through retailers. Founded in Stockholm in 2016, the company is today the largest player in the fashion and lifestyle category in the Nordic region. Centra has employees in Sweden, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the USA, helping over 300 brands optimize their sales. Brands like Nudie Jeans, Stronger, and Björn Borg have been using the platform to reach their online customers.
Contact:
Evelina Galli, Consumer Expert
+46 (0)76-607 38 27
evelina.galli@centra.com
