Arun Agarwal stands inside the offices of NEXTT in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Photography by Emil Lippe.
Anyone who’s bought bedding from Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Costco or Belk most likely has touched Preston Hollow resident Arun Agarwal’s business Nextt USA.
“Every two seconds a sheet set supplied by the company is sold,” according to marketing materials.
Agarwal’s new venture, Expo Bazaar USA, connects wholesalers and makers in India with small-business retailers in the United States.
Expo Bazaar USA launched in March and is a technology and logistics company connecting Nextt USA with Expo Digital India, the trade center Agarwal started with Rakesh Kumar and Dileep Baid in India.
The idea to make Indian exports easily available to small retailers had been rolling around in Agarwal’s head for years before he decided to make it a reality after the pandemic started.
The new company employs a proprietary technology platform where retailers can order goods online, but it’s not just a jumble. All the products are curated for the American market by some of the same buyers who procure goods for big retailers via Nextt USA.
“We hired a very sophisticated merchant team who works with the sourcing team in India,” Agarwal says.
They also do photography, set design and digital storytelling to market the products for American buyers.
The focus on independent retailers here and manufacturers in India benefits small businesses in both places.
The platform “will give single-point access of unprecedented scale to Indian sellers and U.S. business buyers,” according to a media release.
“It’s a digital marketplace that’s supported by brick-and-mortar on both ends,” Agarwal says.
In Dallas, the company is headquartered in the Design District, where Nextt USA has been located since its founding in 2004.
The Agarwals moved to Preston Hollow several years ago when their daughter, who is now in college, enrolled at Ursuline Academy.
“We are opening doors to the magnificent diversity of India and are creating a curated collection of distinctly Indian merchandise. We are also opening another door to welcome business from across America, providing access to the diversity of Indian products and heritage. With manufacturers working closely with artisans, we will be showcasing a massive assortment of products across multiple categories and sub-categories in this segment,” Agarwal says. “We are dedicated to creating a social, cultural and financial impact on the lives of artisans, small manufacturers and suppliers from India and building this robust supply chain network empowering independent U.S. retailers.”
