Biltmore, Belk Renew Licensing Partnership

August 24, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on August 25, 2010 The Biltmore licensing division has renewed its 5-year partnership with Belk, the Charlotte, N.C.-based department store, for another five years.

Belk originally joined Biltmore as a licensing partner in 2005, focusing on home textiles and bringing its first Biltmore products to market in 2006. Since then, the partnership has grown to be Biltmore's most in-depth, offering a full range of luxury products for the home.

"The partnership has far exceeded our shared performance goals for the initial term of the licensing agreement," said Belk vice president of product development Chris Eliason. "Working together, Belk and Biltmore have developed a track record of challenging each other to extend our business partnership in creative ways, and we are happy to extend that record into the future."

This fall Belk will unveil a number of Biltmore products including bedding, china, Mother-of-Pearl serveware and a wide range of holiday products.

"Our collaboration with Belk demonstrates just how fruitful a partnership can be when it is leveraged as completely as we have been able to accomplish here," said Tim Rosebrock, vice president and general manager of Biltmore's licensing division. "The team at Belk is great to work with, and the extension of this partnership is an extremely important component of Biltmore's overall growth strategy."

Belk operates 306 stores in 16 Southern states and was founded in 1888. Biltmore's licensing division was started in 1990 and draws inspiration from the historical treasures found in the Asheville, N.C.-located Biltmore House and Gardens.

Current Biltmore licensees in the home furnishings industry include Artaissance, Capel Rugs, ELK Lighting, Encore/Sarreid, Habersham, HFI Brands, Oriental Accent, Ridgeway Clock Co., and Whitecraft.