The Hydra Aromatherapy brand will be available outside North America for the first time after Villa Mondo signed on to distribute it in Australia.
National sales manager Wendy Fry discovered the range while in the US to visit suppliers and the Chicago Housewares Fair. She decided to represent the brand locally because it is unique and a good fit with Villa Mondo’s other collections.
“Hydra was one we considered in the bath/body line that we really liked and had a point of difference to other bath items currently in the market,” she says. “It is a first for Hydra to send their product so far away, the only other country they have ever sold to is Canada, so they are equally as excited for us to work with them.”
Fry says expanding her business’ product portfolio with Hydra was also about diversifying and helping retailers to do the same.
“Together with our customers we have enjoyed considerable growth with the beautiful products from Michel Design Works. It is a range that has a huge choice of product in a very decorative format. We were looking for something that was complementary and contemporary that would offer an alternative for those who aren’t into a lot of predominantly floral designs and fragrances.
“Many retailers would only really think of us as a distributor of wine accessories, however, since the mid-1990s we have had various collections of giftware for different parts of the market. Wine accessories are still a very strong part of our business, but as with every business you have to diversify to stay interesting. So many of our customers have similarly diverse stores, so it makes sense to find new things to cover more of their requirements.”
Products in the range are made in San Francisco by a small team. They are designed to create a spa atmosphere in the bathroom. For example, the Hydra Shower Bursts are placed indirectly to the shower spray to allow the aromatherapy oils to mix with the rising steam. Shea butter soaps, bath salts, bath chill pills and a children’s range are also available.
While not available until August, the Hydra brand has had a positive response from the Villa Mondo staff.
