COMPANY PROFILE 15 We also offer an extensive range of reading glasses and sunglasses across a wide variety of styles, reflecting the breadth of our customer base and making it easy for retailers to build a commercially strong, balanced offering. We offer something for everyone. What are some stand-out moments since the company’s launch? A key milestone has been our evolution from purely functional reading glasses into a more fashion led, colour driven range. We recognised that customers don’t just buy readers to see, but buy them to express personal style, complement outfits and even enhance facial features. The continued development and recent rebrand of Remaldi® has also been a significant moment, strengthening our position as a brand that balances fashion with function. How are you finding the current climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? It is certainly having an impact. Rising costs, inflationary pressures and increased overheads are affecting both businesses and consumers, with customer confidence understandably more cautious. Ongoing global uncertainty, including energy and supply chain pressures, has also influenced demand and lead times. However, our flexible approach and close relationships with suppliers and retailers continue to help us navigate these challenges. That said, it remains another ongoing challenge for the business. How do you view the future of independent retail? There are many incredible independent retailers – creative, resilient and hard working, but it is a challenging time for many. Earlier in the year there was a greater sense of confidence, although this has softened more recently. That said, those who offer a clear point of difference, strong customer service and real personality, while remaining open to change and embracing new technologies, are the ones most likely to flourish. Continuing to invest in the right product range, pricing and promotion, while keeping a close eye on overheads, will also be key to success. Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business? Yes, we’ve recently rebranded our social media presence to Remaldi Eyewear. While growth can be slow in a highly competitive space, we recognise its importance in building brand awareness and supporting our retail partners. It is both time consuming and resource intensive, but we see it as a long-term investment in the brand, something that has become essential. We believe it will only become more important for our customers moving forward. Do you have any advice for new businesses starting out in the world of gifts? Focus on creating products that genuinely add value to everyday life. Listen closely to your customers and retailers, provide great customer service, and be prepared to adapt as you learn what works. Consistency, reliability and attention to detail are just as important as creativity. A sense of humour helps, and the ability to regularly review, reset and move forward is key. Strong relationships will always underpin long term success. What can we expect in the future from the company? We’ll be introducing a new range of reading glasses for the Autumn/Winter season, alongside expanding our use of recycled materials across both frames and lenses, which we are currently trialling with selected partners. We’re also rebranding our trade website under the Remaldi® name, strengthening the brand further, and continuing to grow both our product offering and stockist base. We’re particularly excited to be launching new premium optical stands for in store merchandising, available from late Summer 2026. We’ve lots of new ideas to consider as usual! OPTICAID T: +44 (0)113 2391400 E: sales@opticaid.net www.opticaid.net
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