White Stuff impresses after another strong year

A brand transformation for White Stuff has been the foundation for another buoyant period at the British multi-channel lifestyle retailer.

Increased sales and profits were driven by strong full-price performance in the year to 27 April.

And among a host of positives for the brand was news that the new trading year is “off to a good start, despite the ongoing pressures on consumers and impact of global inflation”. It noted that total sales and profit are ahead of last year, with a particularly strong full price and margin performance.

So let’s look at those 52 weeks in numbers. Total sales for the period increased to £155 million, up 2.4% from a year ago; full-price sales were 6.8% ahead, driven by reduced promotional activity and a focus on customer ‘favourites’ ranges, which accounted for 50% of full-price sales.

As for core earnings, adjusted EBITDA increased 23% to £8.6 million.

In the ‘Product, Brand and Operational Highlights’ column, it said sales were driven “by our continued focus on what customers want — thoughtfully created designs with unique details, great quality and fit, and sustainable fabrics”.

This included a “well-received” summer collection with high demand for dresses and linen, as well as the continued success of popular pieces such as Rua dresses and Nelly tees.

And the performance was underpinned by expansion on several fronts. During the year White Stuff also opened three stores, including a flagship at Liverpool One, “mov[ing] beyond our core market town locations and into city centres and shopping malls”. 

Watch out for further openings this year on Teesside and at London Gatwick. 

In addition to standalone stores, the brand’s built a key partnership with M&S, now operating from 20 of its locations across the country. And the sales from all third-party concession partnerships increased by 19% over the year.

As for wholesale ops, these too were strong, having launched in three new markets – New Zealand, Czech Republic and, most recently, the US in June.

Add to that a new digital platform and stock allocation system “to improve the customer experience and operational efficiencies”.

Looking to 2025 (White Stuff’s 40th anniversary year), it has ambitions “to grow sales and profit across all channels by continuing to expand the reach of the brand through new stores, third-parties and wholesale in the UK and internationally, as well as investing more in brand awareness”. It will also include bringing back an edit of customers’ most loved heritage White Stuff designs.

And the final words have to be from chief executive Jo Jenkins. She said: “This has been another strong year for White Stuff, despite a challenging external environment, which reinforces that the commitment to our brand transformation is working.

“We have continued to create unique, high-quality products that our loyal White Stuff shoppers love, and we have also introduced our brand to many more new customers through store openings, expanding into new markets, and growing our presence in third-party partnerships.”