Loxley Trading takes the gloves off

The sales volume of several products under the responsibility of Loxley Trading, particularly vegetable oil and milk, dropped 5 per cent year on year in the first half, said CEO Kosoom Sinphurmsukskul.

She said last week that a supply shortage in both products was the main factor affecting first-half sales-volume growth. However, sales revenue rose 10 per cent year on year, thanks to increases in product prices.

"Increases in several product prices boosted our first-half revenue to exceed half of our full-year target of Bt2.5 billion," she said.

To boost sales in the second half, Loxley Trading must find new channels to distribute clients' products. After studying the situation, the company has determined that market fairs adjacent to office buildings are a good distribution channel in these sluggish economic times.

Kosoom said Loxley Trading had been marketing clients' products at market fairs for several months now - 150 such fairs across Bangkok, a number that is expected to increase to 300 by the end of the year.

Loxley Trading distributes 10 main brands of manufactured goods, including Cook vegetable oil, Nong Pho UHT milk, Select canned tuna and Greennut crispy green peas.

Kosoom said the company would add another major new client this year but declined to name the product. It is also trial marketing two other brands.