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Locally made, globally loved: How Rogz became a household name in pet gear Lauren Hartzenberg Rogz is an instantly recognisable brand name to scores of doting pet owners. From leashes and collars to toys an beds, Rogz products have long formed a standard part of the pet accessories' arsenal and after more than 20 years i business, the local brand remains a frontrunner in the increasingly competitive pet retail space. Cofounders Iren Raubenheimer and Paul Fuller launched Rogz in the mid-90s, as the 'humanisation of pets' trend wa taking root globally. Consumers were prepared to spend more on pet accessories and their furry companions begat wearing more human-style apparel and gear. In South Africa however, the pet retail industry was less developed and remained rather conservative. "The pet industr, wasn't very personalised or brand-conscious at the time," Raubenheimer told Bizcommunity in an interview. Accessories were made from rough, unfinished materials or leaned towards hardware (think leather straps and mete studs), and products were sold through the formal veterinary channel or the 'mom and pop' pet stores that existed locally Rogz burst onto the scene with gear that offered something different - bold, branded and brightly-coloured pe accessories made with alternative materials. Raubenheimer and Fuller attracted just as much attention as their products did by attending conferences and trade fairs in t-shirts and flip-flops among a sea of suits and ties. The founders, who are business partners, friends and brothers-in-law, fell into the pet industry by chance. Having met a university, Raubenheimer and Fuller left their respective fields of computer science and winemaking to work abroad or yachts for a few years. They returned home to South Africa in the early 90 s and attempted a few failed business ventures before launching RatzStraps, a sports accessory brand focused on sunglass cords and watchstraps. Business took off, but one particularly dry spell led the entrepreneurs to pivot into dog collars and leads. Their pe business boomed, while demand for sports accessories dwindled, cementing the focus for the next era of the business and the official development of what we now know as Rogz. Thriving export business The venture began operating from Raubenheimer's apartment in Table View, Cape Town, and today the company occupies a large head office in Montague Gardens with a warehouse, factory and new product development (NPD) division. The success of Rogz transcends South African borders, with the brand winning numerous international awards in recognition of its influence in the pet industry. Notably, in 2021 it scooped the title of 'Brand of the Year' in the Animalis category at the World Branding Awards. The company has grown its export business to 90 countries around the world and lists Australia, Holland and Canada among its priority markets outside of South Africa. Export sales now account for roughly 60% of the business. Localisation journey Currently, at least 80% of Rogz products are manufactured locally - a point of pride for Raubenheimer and Fuller, who are fiercely patriotic. Outsourcing some manufacturing to the Far East was an important part of the Rogz expansion journey, but since 2017 the company has been actively localising production in an effort to contribute more to the SA economy and boost job creation. It's also helped Rogz distinguish itself in a global market that increasingly manufactured in the same spaces. The Covid-19 pandemic, the supply-chain disruption that ensued, and the growing call to 'buy local' simply served to confirm to the founders that they had made the right decision to invest more in local production. Rogz currently has around 250 permanent employees on the books, many of whom have been with the company for more than a decade. "When we started selling internationally, we didn't say we were from Cape Town because way back then it was perceived as possibly 'third-world' production. Now we say upfront we're proudly made in South Africa, made in Cape Town, "said Fuller. He added that despite the challenges that come with manufacturing locally, doing so is rewarding and Rogz is managing to cost-effectively produce a premium brand. "We compete well producing from Cape Town. We've got world-class factories. We've got world-class employees. Our teams are paid well, they're efficient and we've invested in good machinery. We're not creating a cheap manufacturing space. "Some of the challenges we have are that the surrounding industry that supports us isn't necessarily there; the textile industry has pretty much collapsed in South Africa. That's a big challenge. We have to import many textiles as only certain textiles are available here in South Africa, whereas if you're producing in China, for example, you have a massive textile industry around you that supplies. But we find ways around that," Fuller said. Retail distribution While Rogz relies on distribution partners abroad, this function is performed in-house in South Africa, which has helped the company nurture close relationships with local retail partners, many of whom are independents. As the specialty pet retail industry has hotted up over the years, large retail chains have taken note of the pet care category's potential. Brands such as Poetry, Zara and Country Road have all introduced fashionable collections for dogs, while in SA's competitive supermarket space, Shoprite Group launched its Petshop Science brand, rolling out specialty pet stores and a dedicated online pet store. Commenting on this evolving retail landscape and the expansion of big chains into specialty pet care, Raubenheimer said, "We've watched these transitions in other markets and there's space for both. A lot of the independent pet stores have had to adapt over time to become more innovative - and it's exactly the same in every other industry. "We want to position our brand in the specialty sector. If there's not an educated person who will communicate with the consumer about how our product works, then we probably don't belong there." specialty pet retail industry has hotted up over the years, large retail chains have taken note of the pet cal ory's potential. Brands such as Poetry, Zara and Country Road have all introduced fashionable collections for dog in SA's competitive supermarket space, Shoprite Group launched its Petshop Science brand, rolling out special ores and a dedicated online pet store. nenting on this evolving retail landscape and the expansion of big chains into specialty pet care, Raubenheim We've watched these transitions in other markets and there's space for both. A lot of the independent pet stor nad to adapt over time to become more innovative - and it's exactly the same in every other industry. rant to position our brand in the specialty sector. If there's not an educated person who will communicate with t mer about how our product works, then we probably don't belong there." e: https:llwmw.bizcommunity. com/Article/196/399/236632.html er ALL the questions in this section. TION ONE (20 isations in the supply chain are joined together by physical flows, information flows and monetary flows. flows go both upstream and downstream in the chain. These flows also link first and second tier ers to each other and the organisation being served. ss the foundational understanding of developing a supply chain using online shopping from the article as reference to support your answer. TION TWO (20 Inventory Manager of Rogz, describe ANY FOUR (4) types of inventory, which are held by the sation and provide examples to support your