Pukka Pads boosted by direct-to-consumer focus
Stationery brand Pukka Pads grew its turnover by 15% year-on-year in 2021 as its increased its focus on direct-to-consumer sales.
This was the most significant uplift the business had seen in several years which was due in part to the stationery market being boosted by new working patterns during the pandemic.
Pukka Pads benefited from many businesses adopting remote or hybrid working models last year, which led to an increase in direct-to-consumer sales through its newly launched consumer facing website and Amazon. In 2021, ecommerce sales contributed to approximately 10% of Pukka Pads’ total revenue compared to 1.5% in the previous year.
Pukka Pads’ founder and managing director Chris Stott said: “2021 was an incredibly successful year for us. Our most popular products were unwavering in their success; we sold over 2 million A4 Metallic Jotta Pads alone, and although we are an established and trusted brand, we continue to innovate and maximise new opportunities to grow sales.”
In 2021, the brand launched four new ranges and 50 new products. The Bloom range proved particularly popular and was Pukka Pads’ bestselling new range of the year.
Stott added: “The new ranges we released in 2021, coupled with our first consumer-facing website, were designed with changing consumer demands in mind. With working from home now the norm, consumers want to choose stationery that reflects their personality and have it delivered straight to their door.
“Consumers like the fact that they can access brighter and bolder products from the same trusted stationery brand, and this is a pattern that is now being reflected in retailer buying, as they also adapt their stock to consumer needs.”
The brand’s biggest retail customers include the major UK supermarkets and sales from these have grown by over 11% over the past year.
Pukka Pads has recently expanded its Yorkshire site with new offices and a dry loading bay. In addition, it is continuing to expand its in-house ecommerce and marketing departments.
The company has also revealed that it is preparing for the launch of a significant new range this spring which will emphasise its environmentally conscious approach.
