SHINING WAY SOURCING LTD

What SHINING WAY SOURCING LTD does

Shining Way Sourcing Ltd is a privately held B2B global sourcing company founded in 2015 by Forde Aley and Mark Knoll, with operational offices in Phoenix (USA) and Ningbo (China), and partner factory relationships across China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and Mexico. The company provides end-to-end sourcing services — product development, procurement, distribution, logistics management, OEM licensing, and sales and marketing support — to enterprise retailers, sports and entertainment licensors, and early-stage brands seeking access to mass retail channels. Its core technology is an internal quality control reporting system combined with logistics management infrastructure that supports 2 internal QC reports per hour during production and third-party inspections at 20%, 50%, 80%, and 100% milestones. Named customers include Walmart, Target, Sam's Club, Costco, Kroger, Anheuser Busch, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NASCAR, with 40+ active vendor numbers secured at top US retailers and a cumulative 200+ customers served.

The company operates on a professional services revenue model, charging project-based service fees for managing the manufacturing and sourcing process for clients, with quote-based pricing tailored to each client's specifications. Distribution is driven through a network of independent brokers with long-term relationships at major retailers, supplemented by direct sales to retail distribution centers, 3PL warehouse fulfillment, and a small direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel via its proprietary SitBax brand. The company also produces branded consumer products (SitBax Bleacher Seat and Luma Flame table top bowls/gel fuel) alongside its sourcing services, and maintains BSCI, SEDEX, and Disney-audited factory certifications for compliance with major retail and licensing standards. The team is small (1-10 employees), founder-led, and relies on a distributed model of in-house QC, Ningbo-based operations staff with 15+ year tenures, and partner factories in multiple countries.

Name

SHINING WAY SOURCING LTD

Legal name

Shining Way Sourcing, LLC

Website

https://shiningwaysourcing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shining Way Sourcing is a B2B global sourcing and product development company that manages manufacturing, logistics, and OEM licensing for major US retailers (Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger), sports licensors (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR), and brands across factories in China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Sourcing & Manufacturing Services

NAICS

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (425)

akta.pro primary industry

Apparel Sourcing, Buying Houses & Trading Companies (CRAAAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-border B2B/Wholesale Trade Marketplaces (CRAFAJAC), Electronics Components & OEM/ODM Sourcing Marketplaces (CRAFAHAM), B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)

Keywords

• Global product sourcing
• OEM manufacturing services
• Product development services
• Licensed merchandise production
• Supply chain logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sourcing Services: Full-range sourcing services including product development, procurement, distribution, logistics management, and marketing & sales support. Revenue is generated through service fees for managing the manufacturing and sourcing process for clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shining Way Sourcing is a B2B global sourcing company providing end-to-end product development, manufacturing sourcing, logistics management, OEM licensing, and sales & marketing support for retailers and brands. The firm connects clients with a network of over 200 partner factories across China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and Mexico, and places products at major US retailers including Walmart, Target, Sam's Club, Costco, and Kroger. It also produces licensed merchandise for NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and brands such as Anheuser Busch, and sells its own sub-brand products (SitBax Bleacher Seat and Luma Flame).

Product overview

Shining Way is a global sourcing company offering a portfolio of manufactured products and sourcing services. The product portfolio includes branded consumer products (SitBax™ Bleacher Seat, Luma Flame table top bowls and gel fuel) alongside manufactured goods categories (Wood, Drinkware, Plastic Injection, Cut & Sew, Electronics, School & Office Supplies, Promotional items). Services include Product Development (25+ years experience), Product Sourcing (with Ningbo, China office), Shipping & Logistics, OEM Licensing, and Sales & Marketing support. The company operates factory partnerships across China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Luma Flame: Table top bowls and gel fuel product line including geometric bowls, mosaic cubes, soft rock bowls, and premium gel fuel.
• SitBax™ Bleacher Seat

Products and services

• Product Development

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $500 million in sales generated by co-founder Forde Aley at major retailers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Partner Factories in VietnamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partner factories located in Vietnam as part of Shining Way's expanded global sourcing network
• Partner Factories in IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partner factories located in India as part of Shining Way's expanded global sourcing network
• Partner Factories in CambodiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partner factories located in Cambodia as part of Shining Way's expanded global sourcing network
• Partner Factories in ThailandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partner factories located in Thailand as part of Shining Way's expanded global sourcing network
• Partner Factories in MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partner factories located in Mexico as part of Shining Way's expanded global sourcing network
• Freight ForwardersminorOthersBest-in-class freight forwarders for ocean and air cargo transport between Far East and North America, with 25 years of experience working with these partners
• BSCI, SEDEX, Disney Audited FactoriesminorOthersFactory certification partnerships for qualified production and retail sales compliance

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pivot International: Pivot International is a US-based product development and manufacturing services firm that helps companies design, engineer, and source products globally. Directly comparable as a Western-led sourcing and product development intermediary.
• Synapse Product Development: Synapse is a product development and design firm that supports companies from concept through manufacturing, including sourcing partners. Comparable in the product development-to-sourcing workflow that Shining Way provides.
• Li & Fung: Li & Fung is the world's largest global sourcing and supply chain company, connecting retailers and brands with factories primarily across Asia. It is the most direct competitor to Shining Way's buying house model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Dragon Sourcing: Dragon Sourcing is a UK/Asia-based product sourcing company helping Western brands and retailers find and manage manufacturers in low-cost countries. Closely comparable to Shining Way in service offering and target customers.
• Assembly Ltd. Assembly Ltd is a New York-based product development and sourcing agency that connects brands with global manufacturers, with strong expertise in consumer goods and licensed products. Closely comparable in scope and customer type to Shining Way.
• Creasourcing: Creasourcing is a Spain-based product sourcing and quality control services company that helps brands and retailers source products primarily from Asia. Closely comparable in service offering, target market, and scale to Shining Way.

Broad incumbents

• Flex (Flextronics): Flex is one of the largest global contract manufacturers, providing design, manufacturing, and supply chain services across multiple product categories. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Shining Way on electronics and consumer product OEM/sourcing.
• Jabil: Jabil is a global manufacturing services company offering design, engineering, and supply chain services across electronics and consumer goods. While much larger and more focused on electronics manufacturing services, it overlaps with Shining Way on production sourcing and OEM work.
• Alibaba 1688.com: Alibaba's 1688.com is China's largest domestic B2B wholesale platform connecting manufacturers with buyers globally. Represents the marketplace-based alternative that competes with traditional sourcing agents and brokers.

Emerging players

• Faire: Faire is a B2B wholesale marketplace connecting independent retailers with brands and suppliers. It represents the platform-mediated alternative to traditional sourcing agents like Shining Way and could be either a threat or a complementary channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@shiningwaysourcing
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100095241201779
• Instagraminstagram.com/sitbaxbleacherseat?fbclid=IwAR2G51iIKndfYX6zsaXcaTJyhddj4KjeXjrCQdVq-daVxcAiFbF03f22o0Q
• TikToktiktok.com/@shiningwaysourcing?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shining-way-sourcing-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHINING WAY SOURCING LTD