Gift and toy wholesaler, Jasnor Australia, started small and has thrived throughout the years to become the industry leader it is today. Celebrating 30 years in 2018, we share some facts about this family business which has gone from strength to strength.
1 Jasnor was founded in 1988 by Sherrie Thurlow, who wanted to create a flexible business structure that would allow her to work from home while her sons James and Richard were at school. In 1994 Sherrie’s husband, Noel, who had an extensive background in games and toys, joined the company.
2 The name Jasnor stands for James, Sherrie, Noel and Richard.
3 Jasnor is a family business in the truest sense of the word—both James and Richard were lucky enough to meet (and eventually marry) their respective partners while working in the business. They now have four children between them, and surely this next generation will be taking Jasnor to new levels of success in the years to come.
4 The company also boasts a low rate of employee turnover, with more than 60 per cent of staff having been with Jasnor for more than five years (and some as long as 10, 15 and even 20 years!).
“We’re focused on nurturing and looking after our customers that have supported us right from the start—and with so much change and growth in the business, it wouldn’t be possible to maintain these relationships without the support of loyal staff that become part of the Jasnor family when they join the business,” says Noel.
5 Sherrie has fond memories of making out her very first handwritten invoice to Poppy Shop in Carlton, which is still a regular Jasnor customer to this day.
6 In 2013, Jasnor was awarded the Australian Toy Association Licensed Preschool Toy of the Year for its internally designed and developed Giggle and Hoot Talking Hootabelle interactive toy.
7 In March 2016, Jasnor’s managing director Noel Thurlow was inducted into the Australian Toy Association (ATA) Hall of Fame. Noel has been in the industry for more than 40 years and was an integral part of the ATA board for 12 years from 1988 to 2000. His son James is continuing this legacy with his recent appointment to the board.
8 In 2001, the company added manufacturing to its services, with the ever-popular stackable building blocks being designed and developed internally. Seventeen years on and this remains one of Jasnor’s core product lines and is available in popular licensed brands such as Play School, Beatrix Potter, Paddington, Peppa Pig and the World of Eric Carle.
9 For 15 years, Jasnor has been the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for America’s most well-known plush brand, GUND, which is also celebrating a milestone this year—120 years in the industry.
10 In 2010, Jasnor donated 500 custom GUND Manni bears to sick children at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne as part of their annual Good Friday Appeal. Manni is GUND’s best-selling bear and has been part of Jasnor’s range since 2003.
