Xcel Brands Announces License with ALPHA OES for Longaberger

NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xcel Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: XELB) (“Xcel” or the “Company”), a media and consumer products company with billions of dollars in retail sales generated by its brands through social commerce and live-stream shopping, today announced a new licensing agreement with ALPHA OES, a provider of eCommerce services and strategies for brands. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, ALPHA OES will take over the day-to-day operations for Xcel’s Longaberger eCommerce business.

“We’re excited to partner with ALPHA OES on the Longaberger brand,” said Robert W. D’Loren, Chairman and CEO of Xcel Brands. “Since we acquired Longaberger in 2019, we’ve been able to evolve the business from a direct sales company into a social commerce marketplace for home products featuring Longaberger’s American made baskets. We believe that partnering with ALPHA OES, who is an expert in investing in and driving profitable growth eCommerce businesses that show strong brand affinity will help us continue to grow the Longaberger brand and business.”

“Longaberger is an American heritage brand with a strong consumer following and unique positioning in the market,” said Charles Mertz, CEO of ALPHA OES. “We’re thrilled to partner with Xcel to continue to build Longaberger’s eCommerce business and build upon the reputation and brand positioning that Longaberger enjoys and Xcel has invested in over the past several years. We’re also excited to work with Xcel on bringing Longaberger onto their social commerce marketplace, which we believe has the potential to reinvent customer acquisition of eCommerce brands that have a highly engaged audience through social commerce.”

Under the new agreement, ALPHA OES will take over day-to-day management of Longaberger’s eCommerce business under a license with Longaberger Licensing, a subsidiary of Xcel. Xcel will continue to build out its social commerce and short form video technology and plans to transition the Longaberger stylists onto its new platform by year-end. Xcel continues to strategically invest in social commerce technology platforms and partnerships that enable it to connect brands directly with consumers through short-form and live-stream video content.

About Xcel Brands

Xcel Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: XELB) is a media and consumer products company engaged in the design, production, marketing, livestreaming, wholesale distribution and direct-to-consumer sales of branded apparel, footwear, accessories, fine jewelry, home goods and other consumer products, and the acquisition of dynamic consumer lifestyle brands. Xcel was founded in 2011 with a vision to reimagine shopping, entertainment and social media as one thing. Xcel owns the Judith Ripka, Halston, LOGO by Lori Goldstein, and C. Wonder brands and a minority stake in the Isaac Mizrahi brand. It also owns and manages the Longaberger brand through its controlling interest in Longaberger Licensing LLC. Xcel is pioneering a true omni-channel sales strategy that includes the promotion and sale of products under its brands through interactive television, digital livestream shopping, social commerce, brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce channels. The company’s brands have generated in excess of $4 billion in retail sales via livestreaming in interactive television and digital channels alone.

Headquartered in New York City, Xcel Brands is led by an executive team with significant livestreaming, production, merchandising, design, marketing, retailing and licensing experience and has a proven track record of success in elevating branded consumer products companies. With an experienced team of professionals focused on design, production and digital marketing, Xcel maintains control of product quality and promotion across all of its product categories and distribution channels. Xcel differentiates by design.

About ALPHA OES

ALPHA OES, a premier Outsourced eCommerce Solutions company, forms strategic partnerships with leading brands to maximize digital commerce and revolutionize direct-to-consumer (DTC) engagement.  Leveraging proprietary FoxLogic performance marketing strategies, ALPHA OES drives sustainable revenue and contribution margin growth while supercharging a brand’s digital presence.  The comprehensive suite of eCommerce services developed by ALPHA OES is customized to serve unique brand needs while scaling for continuous growth.

For further information please contact:

Andrew Berger

SM Berger & Company, Inc.

216-464-6400