Dear colleagues,
We can’t but go forward! In 2009 the common talk was that the world and the country were in the grip of crisis, that we had to secure what had been earned before, that we had to forget for a while about developing. But this is not for and about us! We are an ambitious team that has succeeded in building up a stable foundation in order to go forward even in such an ambiguous financial situation!
Our ultimate goal is to be as close as possible to our customer. A lot of time in 2009 was devoted to this overall objective. Practically all the staff of Melon Fashion Group was pondering over the future of the company – what kind of business should it be in order to meet the customer needs at maximum? Jointly, we have worked out the onward strategy, calculated and drew the business plan and succeeded in getting its approval by the Board of Directors.
The new development plan opens new global prospects for us not only in the Russian market, but, potentially, in foreign markets as well. These were the challenges that we set to ourselves in 2009! Realization of this plan has already started. In particular, we proceed with an active expansion all over Russia, occupying the best locations in the best shopping centers. We have opened 81 shops, thus achieving totally 273 shops.
Excited with unrolling new stores, we have rebranded the TAXI brand and introduced to the market a new trademark - LOVE REPUBLIC so that the customer get an offer, which they can’t but accept. Vigorous promotion and advertising campaign, organized against the background of total crisis slackening, has proven right. Over but a few months, the new brand obtained the 20% recognition among our customers.
2009 became a star year in our history. It was us that the first-rank Russian celebrities chose to work with. Renata Litvinova, an actress and film director, became the personification of the revived ZARINA brand. A famous actor and no less famous lady-killer, Gosha Kutsenko, has written songs for befree girls. While Vera Brezhneva and Nadya Granovskaya, singers of the VIA GRA group appeared as manifestation of an incredible sex-appeal of LOVE REPUBLIC. I suggest we should be written in the Guinness Record Book!
However, our communications with the public would never be so successful but for our constant work at the product, its quality and trends. 2009 saw the formation of a young talented team of designers capable of creating not only women’s clothing, but also, potentially, clothes for men! We are widening our own horizons! We have found new manufacturing markets, produced 3.5 million beautiful pieces of clothing, elaborated efficient logistics schemes in order to make our product affordable to customers of different income levels. We are convinced that each customer can find HER PIECE in our shops! And we are there to help.
2009 became a very important landmark for us: we have identified the vector of our development, adjusted previous plans, amended them with new challenges. For we are capable of much more! Every year, I get convinced that the Melon Fashion Group team can do miracles, in no time solve complicated problems treating them as ”a piece of pie”, or complete overnight a week-consuming task! Undoubtedly, there lies a lot ahead of us! 2009 turned a very eventful year, but it also made a start for even more breath-taking changes. For over 2000 people work daily at the Company so as to make customers a little happier after they have visited our stores! This is the REASON why we can’t but go forward!
I thank all the employees for one more year of outstanding and fruitful work!
Sincerely yours,
Mikhail Urzhumtsev