Features

Quintessential California

Thursday, December 14, 2023

CALI leans into its origins as it expands

[San Diego, Calif.] Wine barrels, surf boards, waves — all things California that inspire the CALI brand and its product portfolio. The California vibe, in fact, permeates the products, the displays, collection names — every detail that makes the company quintessentially California and able to oﬀer that lifestyle to consumers across the country.

And in an industry where few brands hold meaning for the consumer, Doug Jackson, president, asserted, “We are trying to create a brand — a brand that helps our dealers make money.”

FCW had the chance to sit down here in San Diego with the CALI team last month as they settled into a new campus and continued its drive to, what Chanel Cliﬀord, vice president of national accounts and home centers, called “create and innovate.”

Here at its new corporate location, there are three suites that include dedicated space for the sales team and product development. All of it is setting the foundation for future growth.

Part of the transformation CALI has experienced since Doug Jackson came on board five years ago is the team it has put together in all aspects of the business from product development to sales and marketing. Pictured here are Christen Redfield, Doug Jackson, Chanel Clifford and Heidi O’Reilly.

“There have been a lot of headwinds in the industry. The macros are tough. But we are, internally, getting into a position to grow,” explained Jackson. “We moved to a new campus, diversiﬁed our customer base — we are still exclusive but going into the right customers in the right places and putting our dealers in a position to hold margin and close the sale.”

Holding margins is a line the company draws in the proverbial sand. Whether direct to the consumer or through a valued dealer, Jackson is adamant the model allows the dealer to grow their business.

Part of CALI’s value proposition is the unique lifestyle approach. And for that, Jackson looks to iconic apparel designers such as Ralph Lauren that have similar business models selling the consumer where they want to buy. “Ralph Lauren does it all day long and they do it successfully. It’s all about MSRP and holding margin,” he said.

From outdoor products like turf and decking to CALI Vinyl, CALI Wood, CALI Laminate along with rugs, the company brings products to market with intent and a story. For example, its latest laminate collection is Maverick — 86-inch long planks with a luster level that Jackson said, “screams high end.”

A new merchandising system will debut at Surfaces this year that not only displays products but guides the shopper with inspiration and story boards.

The company’s product development team has looked to Napa Valley and the Paciﬁc coastline for recent inspiration but Jackson is quick to remind us that there is still a lot of California to explore and inspire new product. “How can we be diﬀerent and add color and ﬂavor?” Perhaps inspiration will come from the desert next.

Come Surfaces in January, CALI will exhibit in almost double the amount of ﬂoor space as last year. Expect to see and feel the California lifestyle throughout. Oﬀered Jackson, “CALI is aﬀordable elegance with limited distribution and at a price that makes sense.”