Business success as Aussie kids skateboard brand, Ookkie, launches in UK and Europe
Australia’s leading kids skateboard company, Ookkie, has set the wheels in motion for global business success, expanding into two new overseas markets thanks to growing demand for its products from ‘skateboard loving parents’ who want to get their kids on a skateboard, safely.
Launching in the UK and Europe, the cult learner skateboard brand has capitalised on the growing interest in skateboarding in both regions, adding to its presence in its existing regions Australia, the US and Asia, giving the thriving business a global footprint.
Ookkie, which saw an impressive 43% year-on-year increase in the US and Australia regions, falls under the Absolute Board Co umbrella, the parent company of cult skateboard brand, Penny Skateboards. The move for the business to expand into the UK and Europe was based both on the demand from customers and on the success of sister company, Penny Skateboards, which was already available in the UK and European markets. Projected growth for Ookkie was based on similar revenue targets to Penny Skateboards, which has seen consistent monthly sales in both Europe and UK.
And the decision proved right – the initial launches in Europe and the UK saw a waitlist of people in both regions, with both launch days reaching over $50,000 (AUD) in sales. What’s more, sales are increasing daily as Ookkie gains more awareness through both strategic marketing campaigns and word of mouth in the Europe and UK regions.
Founded in 2016 by Aussie Dad and tradesman, Daniel De Gaye, the Ookkie Skateboard was created with one goal in mind – to get children learning to skateboard earlier. As a skateboarder himself, Daniel wanted to teach his son how to ride a board safely while also developing fundamental balance, stability and confidence. The clever product, which is for kids as young as 10 months, is a skateboard that transitions with as children grow, allowing parents to control the level of difficulty as their little one grows in confidence and skill.
Speaking of the business decision to expand, Daniel De Gaye at Ookkie says, “We had so many people from the UK and Europe message us via Instagram and Facebook asking if Ookkie was available in their region, thanks to them seeing the product on social media. It got to a point where demand was so high that we decided we had to leverage the previous success of Penny Skateboards and expand into these new markets. Launching into two new markets required a lot of logistics for any business, however thanks to the success of Penny Skateboards, we already had warehouses and distribution models were in place in both markets to make the expansion a seamless process.
We’ve had a great response so far and strong business performance in both the UK and Europe. There is definitely a big interest in skateboarding in both the UK and Europe regions – every day we receive messages from customers saying how cool they think the product is, and that they’ve never seen anything like it. It’s positive feedback as our business continues to expand its footprint globally and we can’t wait to continue to see growth in these markets, as well as on home soil here in Australia.”
Based on the launch and initial response, the Ookkie is projected to continue to grow consistently each month, with the prediction that Ookkie revenue will triple over the October to December period due to Christmas gifting.
When talking of future plans, the business is currently exploring potential partnerships for making the Ookkie more accessible for children with disabilities.
