SMITHFIELD, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FGX International, a leading eyewear designer and marketer, has entered a distribution partnership with Eby-Brown, one of the largest distributors to convenience stores in the U.S., servicing more than 13,500 locations. This partnership expands FGX’s presence within the convenience channel of distribution.
“This is an important area of growth for our company,” said Steve Burbridge, Executive Vice President of Sales at FGX. “Convenience stores efficiently cater to time starved consumers and Eby-Brown is a crucial partner to ensure FGX’s impressive portfolio of brands is easily accessible to consumers.”
According to the National Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing, convenience stores serve nearly 160 million people each day and 58 billion customers each year. FGX began distribution to convenience stores two years ago and continues its commitment to growing within this category.
“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with FGX on a new program for eyewear, which will serve as one of the key elements of our overall General Merchandise assortment,” said John Roach, Vice President of Merchandising at Eby-Brown. “They have provided us with great market insight and an extremely strong brand that will allow us to deliver the right solutions to our customers.”
Eby-Brown has seven distribution centers, and will begin distributing Foster Grant and selected licensed brands, such as NASCAR, in May, 2014.
About FGX International
FGX International Inc. is a leading designer and marketer of non-prescription reading glasses and sunglasses with a portfolio of established, highly recognized eyewear brands including Foster Grant®, Sight Station®, Magnivision®, Gargoyles®, Anarchy®, Corinne McCormack®, SolarShield® and PolarEyes®. FGXI also holds licenses for brands such as Ironman®, Body Glove®, Disney®, Field & Stream™, Dockers®, Reebok®, Nine West®, NASCAR®, and Panama Jack®. Based in Smithfield, Rhode Island, FGXI has approximately 500 full time employees. Additional offices are located in New York City; Ormond Beach, FL; San Luis Obispo, CA; Toronto; Milan; Stoke-on-Trent, England; Mexico City; and Shenzhen, China. FGX International is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Essilor International, the world’s leading ophthalmic optics company, whose mission is to improve lives by improving sight. With a consolidated revenue of approximately €5 billion in 2013 and more than 50 000 employees, the Essilor Group operates in some 100 countries.
ABOUT Eby-Brown: Servicing retail accounts throughout the Midwest and the Southeast, Eby-Brown is the largest privately held convenience store distributor in the United States. Small and large retail chains, as well as independent retailers have come to depend on Eby-Brown for an array of distribution services, flawless execution, and flexibility in program design. To learn more please visit eby-brown.com.
