ture market is worth $6.9 billion, but is expected to grow 4.46 per cent over the same period. King Living’s chief executive David Woollcott said the business’ first site will launch later this year in Orange County, California, with a second location to open soon after in Chicago, Illinois. These two stores will give the business a presence in two of the biggest metropolitan areas in the country, after New York. “The United States is key to the King Living global expansion strategy and the market provides us with an unparalleled growth opportunity,” Woollcott said.  “We have a reputation for our unwavering commitment to timeless design and dedication to continually innovate furniture that sets us apart from our global competitors.” According to Woollcott, the business will continue to grow its international presence, with a second Canadian showroom set to launch in 2024. “This isn’t about growth for growth’s sake, this is about our belief that we will improve the lives of customers who choose our furniture,” he said.  “We are passionate about bringing our designs and our engineering to those who appreciate the King Difference.” A crowded market Founded in 1977, in Sydney, Australia, King Living differentiates itself by using steel frames in its furniture. However, it isn’t the only Australian player looking to expand in the US.  Coco Republic has launched a number of stores across the US in recent years, and runs a local e-commerce site in the country. It shuttered its newly opened San Francisco store earlier this year after deeming it “impossible” to operate, and instead redirected its focus to its remaining and future stores.  Likewise, Australian designer furniture brand Sarah Ellison entered the US market through a partnership with local chain Design Within Reach. And while it is a well-known name in Australia, King Living will enter the US as a relative unknown: putting the brand at a disadvantage compared to local chains. Those local chains are expanding as well. According to Retail Insight Network, retailers across the US have invested in physical stores this year: with retail space availability having hit a record low. Many international retailers are also refocusing on the US market, with Primark, Ikea, Uniqlo, and Chanel all having made major expansion commitments to open new stores in the coming years.  And, with US consumer spending staying relatively stable (slightly up year-over-year, according to McKinsey), the US market looks a bit more attractive given Australia is expecting a relatively slow Christmas this year. Overseas is the new black Like other international brands, many Australian brands are looking overseas for growth. According to HSBC research, more than half of Australian mid-size companies are planning to expand offshore in 2023, and enter at least one new foreign market: often that market is the US, due to its sheer size. The main driver of these expansions, according to the research, is to utilise the relatively strong position most Australian businesses were in at the end of the Covid-19 pandemic to grow further afield, and faster.  “As a general rule, local companies are going further offshore and doing it earlier in their lifecycle,” HSBC’s head of client coverage Scott Bannon said.  “It is also a trend that has included global expansion through digital means since Covid-19, where tech-enabled firms have been able to break down geographic barriers in quick time.”