When Carrot Stix rods were introduced at the 2007 ICAST show, they immediately made a huge splash, winning three Best of Show categories. They also turned heads with a previously-unseen orange color scheme, reflective of the nano cellulose fibers within.
For awhile it seemed that the orange rods were everywhere, but gradually the popularity faded as the company went through ownership changes that led to management problems and, in turn, to customer dissatisfaction. Now they’re coming back, under Canadian Jimmy Davlouros, a veteran of the banking and finance fields, but a newcomer to the fishing industry. He’s convinced that he can turn the company’s fortunes around.
“First and foremost, it’s a remarkable product,” he said. “But the way that the previous company managed customer service was to their demise. They thought the product would make the problem go away. We don’t use resin or glue the way the other guys do. When the brand went on fire, the winding machines they used in China were putting the threads on in a way that was cutting through blanks like cheese.”
Now, despite a crowded marketplace, he aspires not only to remake the company with better management practices, but also to become “the Nike of fishing rods.”
“It’s the ultimate opportunity,” he said. “The product already has recognition. We just need to put things together from a logistics standpoint. We’ve taken a year and a half to clean up the customer-service mess we inherited. Our backyard is just about spotless.”
They’ll relaunch in the U.S. in January, but they’ve already hit the ground running overseas, with brick and mortar stores in Russia selling not only rods, but also accessories, tackle boxes and lures under the company umbrella.
