Joe Fresh Goes Abroad

In September, 2011, Canadian-based affordable fashion brand Joe Fresh, owned by Loblaw and popular in its home country, launched itself in New York and New Jersey. Initially, Joe Fresh was marketed in standalone U.S. flagship stores. Soon after, it arranged to put the Joe Fresh brand in hundreds of J.C. Penney's U.S. stores.

Given J.C. Penney's ongoing problems, it's not surprising that Loblaw's executive chairman recently had this to say about the relationship: "It obviously hasn’t gone like we hoped that it would." He remains optimistic, given Penney's commitment to Joe Fresh and the level of its merchandise purchases.

Now Joe Fresh is moving outward from its base by partnering with companies that will showcase it in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and South Korea. By the end of 2018, these partnerships will result in 120 new Joe Fresh stores spread across 23 nations. Joe Fresh is also in talks with Selfridges, with the aim of having a branded store or space within the London retailer's store.  

The target market is young, style-conscious, budget-conscious consumers. These are social-media-savvy buyers, which is why Joe Fresh keeps its Facebook page fresh (with 188,000 likes) and updates its Twitter feed regularly.