A grand collection (engl.)

Casa Grande cover the best of both worlds by supplying beautiful European imports and impulse items manufactured in their own UK facility. Richard Blundell tells us more about his business and their collection.

Q: Richard, what’s the story of Casa Grande?
A: Casa Grande are the importers of three major European companies. Nostalgic-Art from Germany. Wikholmform from Sweden and Mars & More from The Netherlands. Casa Grande also manufacture impulse gift items in Cornwall.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Since 2005 and we have a team of agents that visit our customers throughout the UK and Ireland. We usually exhibit at major UK fairs and our partners have large stands at the major European shows including Paris. Frankfurt, Munich, Stockholm and Oslo.
Our warehouse is based in Cornwall just across the Tamar river and all our staff have been working for the company for a long period of time.
Casa Grande have been working with Nostalgic-Art for many years. Nostalgic-Art was established by Teja Engel in Berlin 25 years ago, we are celebrating the Nostalgic-Art Retroversary this year. The company has grown to become one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of retro products with a brand that is known globally. Most items are mad in Germany and the tin signs have the unique quality of being embossed. Nostalgic-Art also supply a large range of merchandising aids for retailers including floor spinners, counter top CDUs and wall units.

Q: What gifts do you supply to the UK market?
A: We have a huge range of over 4000 items from our suppliers including licensed tin signs, mugs, clocks, plant pots, vases, home interior products, garden items, cushions and furniture. Most of the items we sell are exclusively designed by talented artists and acquired by global purchasing teams. The impulse gifts that we manufacture in the UK include keyrings, fridge magnets, coasters and many others, which are all personalised.

Q: What sets Casa Grande apart?
A: Casa Grande is different from other suppliers in that we offer a large variety of products direct from the best European suppliers but the goods are invoiced by Casa Grande in pounds, meaning retailers can get high quality goods at competitive prices but all invoiced in by a UK company. In these post-Brexit times this is a huge advantage for retailers who want tobe able to get something different without the need to import themselves.

Q: Who are your customers?
A: Giftshops, garden centres, home interior stores and florists including the Blue Diamond group, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Bestselling items inclucde licensed tin signs. thermometers, plant pots, garden articles, home interior products and personalised products.

Q: How do retailers order from you?
A: B2B ordering is available for most of the ranges we offer. We have some superb catalogues illustrating all of the products we have, which are available for existing and potential customers, so please get in touch. The web links to our partner companies are:

nostalgic-art.de
wikholmform.se
marsmore.com
Nostalgic Art is also on YouTube:
https://weloveretro.de