ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Keita Ishii, President & COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it has acquired the exclusive rights to import and sell STANLEY, the American thermos brand. ITOCHU will launch the brand in the Japanese market in the spring and summer season of 2022.

The origin of the brand STANLEY traces back to the portable bottle that William Stanley Jr., an American inventor, invented in 1913 by combining vacuum insulation technology with the robustness of steel. It is the predecessor of the current vacuum bottles. Since then, STANLEY brand products have enjoyed worldwide popularity for more than 100 years. Their unique branding has contributed to their high long-term appraisal, such as their excellent durability permitting them to last through multiple generations, their high functionality, and their very original design. STANLEY has recently stepped up its collaboration projects with the brands and artists who empathize with the value of the brand. It is also expanding its fields from outdoor to lifestyle.

Targeting female and male consumers from their 20s to their 50s who enjoy outdoor activities or who are highly sensitive to trends, ITOCHU will start to distribute STANLEY products via a wide range of sales channels such as department stores, multi-brand stores, sporting goods stores, and e-commerce through DOSHISHA CORPORATION, as well as through the existing sales channel based on outdoor goods stores of BigWing Co., Ltd. in spring and summer 2022. In a cooperative effort, ITOCHU and STANLEY will enhance digital marketing including social media and collaborate with highly sensitive brands and stores to raise brand awareness of STANLEY, aiming to achieve net sales of 4 billion yen based on nominal retail prices in three years with a strong emphasis on the brand identity.