"Where and how to expand?" — Solve your workwear global expansion challenges with 'Omakase Trading'.CUC Co., Ltd.

Could you tell us what led you to introduce STANDAGE's automated trading service this time?

We supplied 55,000 items annually to a major domestic retail chain, and our domestic sales channels were almost fully developed. Our next growth strategy was to expand our own brand overseas. However, we lacked a clear strategy regarding "which countries, which brands, and how to expand," and continued to search for a solution. Although we were eager to enter overseas markets, we had challenges in terms of trade practices and the development of marketing strategies. In particular, our limited human resources meant that we were not in a position to adequately handle local market research and sales channel development.

Amidst these circumstances, we came across STANDAGE's "Omakase Trading" service through a referral from our financial institution. This service, which provides everything from practical trade-related matters to strategic support in one stop, seemed rational and reliable to us as we were venturing into overseas expansion for the first time, and we decided to implement it.

What exactly did it entail?

Although we had a basic vision for our own brand, we hadn't clearly defined specific strategies for how to expand it overseas, or which markets and customer segments to target. We recognized that simply bringing our successful domestic model overseas wouldn't necessarily work, and a more refined approach was needed. It was in this context that STANDAGE proposed entering the Dubai market.

Although the Middle East was not initially on our radar, STANDAGE's market analysis revealed a strong affinity between our product characteristics and local needs. Going forward, we believe that their comprehensive support—from selecting exhibitions and preparing for our exhibits to handling on-site business negotiations and post-exhibition follow-up—will allow us to establish a foothold in overseas markets without significantly allocating internal resources.

What results have you achieved since implementing it?

The previously unclear question of "which brands should be expanded to which countries" has become clear, and collaboration with STANDAGE has improved the alignment between our brand strategy and market needs. As a result, we are now able to create a concrete roadmap for overseas expansion. Furthermore, by developing actionable sales plans based on on-site research, our previously vague expectations have evolved into effective strategies backed by data. This has given our internal decision-making a strong sense of conviction.

Entrusting trade operations to STANDAGE frees us from cumbersome trade tasks, allowing us to focus on our core business while steadily advancing our overseas expansion—a significant benefit.

What kind of support do you expect from Omakase Trading in the future?

Going forward, we plan to continue strengthening our presence in regions with high temperatures and humidity. Based on the positive response we received in the Dubai market, we are also considering expanding into Southeast Asian countries in addition to the Middle East. We anticipate that the characteristics of our products will be more effectively utilized in these regions. Strategically, we plan to focus not only on exhibiting at trade shows, but also on creating promising customer lists and strengthening our inside sales.

We plan to leverage STANDAGE's local network to expand our direct approaches, such as cold mail and cold calls (sales emails and phone calls without prior contact). Furthermore, we expect them to actively provide concrete strategic proposals that take market changes into account, as well as implementation support that directly leads to sales promotion.

Comment from Mr. Saito of CUC

Overseas expansion remains a significant hurdle for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but by utilizing STANDAGE's "Leave-it-to-us Trade" service, it's possible to steadily advance overseas expansion while receiving comprehensive support from trade operations and market development to trade show participation and local follow-up. The ability to entrust all these processes to a single provider is extremely beneficial for companies undertaking overseas business for the first time, and it has been a great support for us as well. Building on this support, we plan to further deepen our collaboration with STANDAGE and accelerate our global expansion even more.