Home > Latest News > EXCLUSIVE: Brand New Distributor Snares Top Brands After Cutting EU JV

EXCLUSIVE: Brand New Distributor Snares Top Brands After Cutting EU JV

EXCLUSIVE: Two former Convoy executives Sohan Karunaratne and Cameron Greig, have snared the right to several major brands after cutting a deal with one of Europe’s leading distributors Aqipa who also trades as Gear Guru.

Among the brands that the Melbourne based joint venture Company will be distributing is B&O Play, Speck, Marshall a former Ambertech brand, Urbanears, Audio Pro,  Masters and Dynamic a top end sound brand.

The distributor will also bring back the PureDigital brand previously distributed by Westan and prior to that Pioneer.

Pure, an Imaganation Technology brand was sold last year to Austrian Company Adventure AT. 

Founded in 1990 by the Trapl family, Aqipa is a leading distributor of brands that include Beats which is tipped to be picked up by the Australian operation, Polk, Jabra, Jaybird, Kensington along with several other leading consumer electronic brands such as aQuip, Pataco, iGo, Monster, Allsop, Memorex, TDK and XtremeMac.

According to Sohan Karunaratne a director at the new Company the Company is already talking to several leading retailers about their brand offering.

Logistically the Company has got access to Aqipa’s SAP based system as well as related software.

Several of their brands are already being sold by Australian retailers.

Karunaratne said “Since leaving Convoy we have kept a low profile as we built our new business. We have established an excellent relationship with Aqipa and we are currently working to bring several of the brands they distribute into the Australian market”.

Karunaratne who previously was Sydney based has recently relocated to Melbourne.

He said that the Company had gained access to a variety of software and systems that the European Company uses to run the Australian operation.

He said “As the name – Gear Guru – suggests, Aqipa know’s exactly what’s important in the provide excellence in consumer electronics across the globe. With over 27 years of experience in the field of in distribution Aqipa is committed to providing best in class service and support to their retail partners and brands in Australia he said.

Via our relationship with Aqips Gear Guru who has over 27 years of experience in the consumer electronics and sound markets, we are in an excellent position to deliver best in class value. Their brand relationships and distribution knowledge coupled with our local knowledge allows us to deliver a unique 360 degree service package that can be tailored to specific brand/channel requirement”.

A new website Aqipa.com.au has been rolled out, it is sleek and informative compared to a lot of other distributors websites.

Listed retail partners already include David Jones, Myer, JB Hi Fi Myer and Officeworks.

Currently the Company is talking to several vertical retails in the sound and consumer electronics markets.

One major retailer said “This is a well put structured distributor who through their European relationship could take business away from several existing distributors in the Australian and New Zealand markets”.



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