Smart50 rank: 46
Revenue: $11 million
Growth: 25.42%
Founders: Franz Madlener, 41; Jacky Roberts, 42
Based: Victoria
Employees: 50
Industry: Retail trade
Website: www.villaandhut.com
Villa and Hut is a business built on reconciling two not entirely consistent consumer habits; the feeling they should buy ethically made furnishings, but not wanting to pay more to do so.
Founders Franz Madlener and Jacky Roberts solved the problem by combining an unparalleled network of suppliers across Asia with a careful eye to the welfare of the craftsmen, families and villages that hand craft much of their product.
The formula has helped Villa & Hut grow to a global business with branches across Australia and in Europe, Britain and Asia. The business is still growing quickly given it's size ($11 million revenue last year, compared with $8.5 million in 2006-07) and age (almost 10 years), with revenue lifting 25.42% in the two years to 2007-08.
The business's branded Kafe chain of cafes, launched in 2003, has helped expand the business's commercial base and helped further contribute to growth.
The explosion in green and ethical retailing over the past couple of years means the challenge for Villa & Hut is to continue to innovate and stay ahead of the market - something it is confident of achieving.
Villa & Hut say that "eco" and "green" have now become buzz words in an industry climbing over itself to grab the customer's attention. "Given we have been doing it since 1999, our customers now benchmark 'copy-cat' retailers against our standards," Madlener says.
