Local Barbie doll distributor sets expansion plans

MANILA, Philippines - The local distributor of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels is planning to expand its recently-acquired children’s apparel business The Big&Small Co., by opening new stores overseas and within the country.

“We’re expanding with more stores,” Richwell Trading Corp. president and chief executive officer Myrna Yao told reporters.

She said the plan is to have a total of 30 stand-alone stores here and abroad by next year.

The firm acquired The Big&Small Co. in October last year.

The Big&Small Co.’s family includes other brands such as Spin which sells clothes for boys and Orange Juice which caters to preadolescent girls.

The clothes sold under the three brands are manufactured locally and in China.

At present, the firm has a total of 12 stand-alone stores for the three brands which are all located in the country.

“My main goal is really to go out of the country. We have to be global in the Philippines. We have to be competitive,” Yao said.

For its international expansion, the firm has set its sights on the Southeast Asian region.

“Out of Asia, you have to be very big like Gap. You need to have a big structure, or else you cannot compete,” Yao said.

Sales of this firm’s toy and children’s accessory business, meanwhile, are targeted to grow by 20 percent this year from last year, said Yao.

Despite the popularity of gadgets such as cellphones and tablets among children, the firm saw its sales rise by 18 percent last year from2011.

“We’re still growing because the children, they really need to see some toys to play with even though they’re with gadgets…They still want those things,” Yao said.

She said it would be important for parents to limit the time their children spend playing with gadgets though and to let them play with other toys, citing that too much time with tablets and other related items could have disadvantages.

Other than eye problems and lack of physical activity, spending too much time with gadgets can also affect the way a child relates with other people because playing with tablets is a solitary activity unlike with toys that can be shared with siblings or parents.

“I think it is time the parents should move and they should do something about it (spending too much time with gadgets) because it is not good for the children,” Yao said.

Richwell Trading is engaged in the sale of tires.

It’s units Richprime Global Inc., is engaged in the distribution of toys and other products while Richprime Sales Inc. is into the children’s apparel business.