TRY telling Gold Coast sportswear maker KooGa that the economy is moving at a crawl. The Labrador-based business, already celebrating a lucrative contract to make the new Wallaby rugby jersey, is being swamped with orders for the unique Indigenous Dreamtime jersey ahead of next year's inaugural NRL All Stars clash at Robina.
Jeremy Pierce
GOLD COAST BULLETIN
TRY telling Gold Coast sportswear maker KooGa that the economy is moving at a crawl. The Labrador-based business, already celebrating a lucrative contract to make the new Wallaby rugby jersey, is being swamped with orders for the unique Indigenous Dreamtime jersey ahead of next year's inaugural NRL All Stars clash at Robina.
The family-run firm has received an unprecedented rush for the one-off jersey, with orders outstripping what most club jerseys sell in a full year.
KooGa's national sales manager, Shannon Moore, said the demand had caught the business completely by surprise.
"We have some pretty top-end clubs on our books (including Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights and Queensland
Reds) but nothing has compared to this. Even Melbourne in grand final week wasn't this strong."
The KooGa story started with the South Africanborn Brants family, who moved to the Gold Coast and opened a sports apparel business in a garage.
Now the business employs more than 50 staff and fills orders for high flying outfits in the NRL, AFL and Super 14.
The Indigenous All Stars v NRL All Stars will be at Skilled Park on February 13, 2010.
