Meet the entrepreneur

The idea for Bag’in originated in Easter 2016, when Kåre Normann Sekkesæter was opening the summer cabin at Hvaler with his mother-in-law.

Together, they inspected the outdoor furniture they had wrapped in tarpaulin six months earlier. The tarpaulin had been blown away, and all that was left were a few pieces of rope. They decided to find a better solution for covering and storing outdoor furniture.

After a thorough check of the market, both in Norway and abroad, it was obvious that the available products wouldn’t work. So, Kåre and his mother-in-law decided to create the solution they wanted themselves.

The first prototype

Kåre wanted a solution for safe storage of outdoor furniture without the need to move the furniture from the terrace. The solution was to be simple and easy to use for anyone, while keeping the furniture dry and protected throughout the Norwegian winter. Kåre bought suitable materials to bring the idea to life, and his mother-in-law sewed the first prototype by hand - a proper storage bag for outdoor furniture.

The first prototype was followed by many more, with different materials and design. Finally, they were left with a product that checked all the boxes: safe and weatherproof storage that could not blow away.

See collection

Was there a need in the market?

For the next four weeks, Kåre knocked on 111 doors in the neighborhood. He asked everyone he met the same question:

Can I please cover up your outdoor furniture?

– Kåre Normann Sekkesæter, founder of Bag’in.

99 families said yes. Kåre successfully packed away their outdoor furniture, and 89 of them signed up on Kåre’s list – they were interested in buying the product.

Kåre’s rounds were also an important investigation. He gained valuable insight into what kind of outdoor furniture people have, whether they were interested in the idea, and how much they were willing to pay for such a product.

Krister, Kåre and Øivind from Bag'in.

A winning team

Kåre knew from experience that the best companies consisted of teams that complemented each other in experience and competence. In 2017, he was joined by Krister A. Pedersen, former CFO of XXL. Krister had the perfect background in business strategy, commercialization and internationalization, in addition to strong financial expertise.

To work with the company's brand, Kåre contacted Øivind Solgård-Jensen. Øivind was experienced in design and marketing on digital channels, and was the perfect person to handle the company’s marketing strategy.

Eventually, Øivind and Krister bought into the company, and actively went into operations and product development alongside Kåre.

“I’ve always said I would rather own a piece of a successful business, rather than 100% of a company that doesn’t become anything. This is a common mistake among entrepreneurs - they’re terrified of giving up stocks, when in fact stocks are a great tool for assembling the right people.”

– Kåre Normann Sekkesæter, founder of Bag’in.

Production

Kåre contacted a number of different factories to find the one best suited to manufacture the products. Eventually, Kåre connected with PramPack and Douchebag, and via them found a manufacturing association with factories in China.

Focused on good working conditions

When production was moved to China, Kåre was concerned with two things: First, the production and development of the bags was to be done in line with Kåre's wishes and vision. Secondly, the workers should be treated well.

The workers must be well paid, and the factory must follow the UN's environmental guidelines. This would ensure both high product quality, as well as sustainable production. Kåre and the team have personally visited the factory in China to make sure these requirements are met.

The future

In the summer of 2021, Bag’in was launched in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. Six months later, a brand new collection was launched: Mediterranean Bags. These are Bag’ins for southern climates that protect outdoor furniture from harmful UV rays, sand and insects. Mediterranean Bags are intended to meet the needs of Scandinavians with holiday homes in Spain, Turkey, France, Greece and other southern countries.

In 2022, Bag’in will work to position itself as a strong player in Scandinavia, and then expand to international markets that also need storage for outdoor furniture. So far, Bag’in has been sold to customers in 18 different countries, and the company is now negotiating exciting partnerships with local stores and retailers.