a much closer interaction with the retailers and consumers

The privately owned parent company of Denmark-based Trollbeads is taking over distribution of the bead brand’s products in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean, citing “brand confusion” due to competition and a desire to work more closely with North American retailers.

Currently, an independent U.S.-based company handles the North American distribution of Trollbeads to more than 1,000 stores. Beginning Jan. 31, Trollbeads parent company, Lise Aagaard Copenhagen A/S, will assume control, according to an announcement from the company.

“We believe North American consumers, largely as a result of heavily promoted competing products and subsequent brand confusion, have lost sight of what makes Trollbeads unique,” Trollbeads owner Lise Aagaard said. “Trollbeads will dedicate its efforts to work directly and more closely with our retailer jewelry store partners in North America to renew consumer appreciation of Trollbeads’ history, mystique and craftsmanship and to achieve a much closer interaction with the retailers and consumers.”

First designed by the Nielsen/Aagaard family in Denmark in 1976, the original Trollbeads were silver charms with troll faces sold in two family-owned jewelry stores in the Denmark cities of Copenhagen and Lyngby. Today, the Trollbeads collection encompasses charms in silver, 18-karat gold, pearls, precious and semi-precious stones and hand-made glass, with nearly 1,000 bead designs. Trollbeads are sold in more than 50 countries worldwide through a network of independent distributors.