Skincare products company Laline Candles and Soap Ltd. has opened shop in San Francisco, its first store in the US. Since half of the company was acquired, the chain has expanded to 55 stores in Israel, and it has signed franchise agreements for stores in North America.
The agreements follow on an earlier agreement with Fox-Wizel Ltd. (TASE: FOX) to open a chain of Laline stores in the UK. The British franchisee is due to open 30 stores nationwide with five years.
"Globes": What is the stores' potential in Canada and the US?
Harel Wizel: "Those who know the US market can do the math themselves."
Hundreds of stores?
"I'm not one of those who wants to set a number of hundreds of stores. We're just starting out. We'll do what's necessary to succeed. Everyone knows the American market, and if we succeed, obviously there will be hundreds of stores, but I don’t want to promise anything because we're just starting out."
Are you in talks to bring Laline to other countries?
"Yes, we're in talks to enter several strategically important countries, which if we succeed, will be very important to Laline."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 23, 2010
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