Introducing APPA's newest New Zealand-based supplier member TeamSports.
Tell us a bit about your business- what do you do and what is your history?
TeamSports is the exclusive Adidas Teamwear distributor for New Zealand and has more than 20 years' experience in sports and apparel. TeamSports started out as the New Zealand distributor for Flexfit (a brand we still distribute today) and has grown to a team of ten staff members working within a 12,000ft² warehouse in East Tamaki. Our teamwear range includes polos, jackets, tracksuits, bags and more.
Why did you decide to join the Association?
We joined APPA to help develop and grow our business by allowing APPA members to be able to offer Adidas as on and off-field apparel to their clients.
What makes you stand out from your competitors?
Being an Auckland based company with our own warehouse and logistics staff (not to mention in-house sales, marketing and I.T.), we address queries and process orders faster than most. We proactively communicate with all our clients to keep them informed and up-to-date with any changes to our range. Having exclusive access to Adidas apparel is also a distinguishing feature of our business.
What impact has technological advancement and innovation had on your business and the way it operates?
The ability to place orders in real time assures our clients that we have the stock they need on hand. We have an in-house I.T. team who are constantly working on different ways to innovate and evolve how we operate in this space. Our in-house marketing team are always working on both brand and product recognition in the social media space as well.
What are the biggest challenges facing your business at the moment?
One of the biggest challenges is finding the time to get out and see all of our existing and potential clients, but we will see you all at the NZ APPA Show in September to launch our exciting 2024 range.
How important is sustainability to your business? How does this affect your business and the way it operates?
Working alongside Adidas (whose aim is to have a 90% sustainable range by 2025) has certainly emphasised the importance of sustainability to our team. We only define products/articles as sustainable when they manufactured using primarily eco-friendly or sustainable materials. The majority of these are recycled materials or sustainably produced cotton. We are also increasingly noticing that innovative materials such as bio-based synthetics and more sustainably-grown natural materials are becoming more and more relevant in the industry.
To learn more about TeamSports, please email TeamSports Brand Sales Manager Francis McCormick at francis@teamsports.co.nz.
