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A Guernsey businessman has bought Dragon’s Den-winning watch business, Slappie.
Scott Carre, who will run the operation from St Peter Port premises, fought off stiff competition to acquire the company, which launched online in 2010. Sales of the buckle-free, silicone slap watch soared after appearing – and securing a £50,000 investment – on Dragon’s Den in 2016.
‘It’s a very exciting product and one that has huge potential globally,’ said Mr Carre, formerly a director at Oracle Finance.
‘Slappie’s growth since appearing on Dragon’s Den has been fantastic, despite the previous owner, David Kendall, by his own admission, dedicating less time to it than he’d have liked. With a new, focused, Guernsey-based team onboard, the opportunities for the product are endless.’
Currently the business is focused on the UK market, but it is also beginning to work with sales agents around the world, including the USA, Spain and Scandinavia.
Dragon’s Den ‘dragon’, Nick Jenkins, who founded the first online personalised greeting card company Moonpig – based in Guernsey – invested in Slappie on the show last year. Within minutes of the programme airing in February 2016, the brand’s website crashed due to the immense number of hits generated. Since then, interest from retailers has increased, and Slappie watches are now stocked in the likes of Wicked Uncle, Freemans Grattan, Saltrock, BrightMinds and Southbank Museum.
‘It’s great to see Slappie find a new home in Guernsey. I have fond memories of moving Moonpig over to the island in 2006 as a small business with a handful of employees, and growing it into the thriving business it is today. My only regret was not being able to visit Guernsey enough, it made work feel like a mini holiday,’ said Mr Jenkins.
‘I am sure that with the new management on board, Slappie will follow a similar growth curve. It is a great product. Slapping a Slappie watch onto your wrist is a curiously satisfying feeling.’
All of the faces on Slappie watches are interchangeable and the product is aimed, said Mr Carre, at people of all ages who like to stand out from the crowd.
‘Our colour palette is on trend and vibrant and with straps to go with any outfit or mood, they are extremely versatile. But above all else, quality is key, we also have a number of new designs and additional products ready to add value in the coming months.’ he said.
‘All of our watches are a Japanese Citizen movement, water resistant to 3ATM, and the straps are made from clinical grade silicone, which doesn’t attract dust. We are the most reputable and well-known slap watch brand in the world, and we rank number one on Google. As a Guernseyman, I hope this will be a great opportunity for the island to benefit from another prosperous local company dealing on a global scale with a view to expanding and employment.’
