Press

Retail Dive

Our Investment In Max Retail

This press release originally appeared on Interplay on August 13, 2024.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Max Retail, a marketplace that makes it easy for independent retailers and brands to sell excess inventory, today announced that Julia Cai has joined the company as its Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Cai will focus on building a top-tier US-based engineering team and transitioning the company into an AI-enabled SaaS and e-commerce powerhouse.

Cai brings extensive experience to Max Retail, having founded her own startup and led three high-profile technology startups in the last two decades. Her recent achievements include transforming Trove’s e-commerce platform that serves multi-billion dollar fashion and footwear businesses and playing a key role in transitioning the company from a logistics company into a SaaS-enabled technology firm. She also expanded K-health from a mobile digital health app company into a web product company that serves both consumers and enterprise businesses. At Red Ventures, she transformed call center technology and supported a business with $300M in annual revenue.

“Julia’s experience with artificial intelligence, inventory management, and successful execution is an incredible asset to our team,” said Melodie van der Baan, CEO & co-founder of Max Retail. “Her background as not only a CTO, but also a CEO of her own company for nearly a decade, gives her a unique dual focus, delivering constant value for the business in both revenue growth and technology advancement.”

Cai joins Max Retail on the heels of its $15M Series A led by Nosara Capital, as the company seeks to help independent retailers participate in the growing e-commerce wave, while minimizing the environmental impact of the retail industry.

“Max Retail has built an impressive platform to solve the excess inventory problem in retail,” said Julia Cai, CTO at Max Retail. “I can’t wait to work with CEO and co-founder Melodie van der Baan to disrupt this industry further by providing tools for small retail businesses and brand sellers to maximize sales, minimize the sales cycle, and ultimately reduce new production as the industry transforms to benefit the planet.”

To learn more about Max Retail, visit: https://www.maxretail.com/.

###

About

Max Retail expands the reach of retailers’ and brands’ unsold inventory far past their storefronts through its network of online marketplace partners where end consumers can easily discover and purchase this inventory. The company enables small retail businesses to become fulfillment partners of some of the biggest names in online retail today, reaching over 400 million consumers. Max Retail is the only solution of its kind for small businesses to get paid the maximum value for excess inventory by easily and frictionlessly connecting the supply of unsold inventory to a global network of demand. For more information, visit: https://www.maxretail.com/.

Morgan Hatin Bodstrom

Morgan Hatin Bodstrom

Co-founder | Chief People Officer

As co-founder and Chief People Officer, Morgan focuses on hiring the best talent for the team and fostering a united culture as they grow. Morgan previously co-owned a retail store with co-founder, Melodie. She also spent several years in executive recruiting in NYC with a focus in wholesale apparel, footwear and accessories.