Hot Tuna opens retail store in Los Angeles...
July, 2008

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 29, 2008)—Despite the gloomy economy, Hot Tuna (International) PLC (AIM:HTT), a lifestyle apparel brand with authentic surf heritage, stock rose, and they just opened up a store in LA with plans to open more in London and Sydney.

Recently, Hot Tuna moved their corporate headquarters and production facility from Orange County to the Cooper Building in downtown Los Angeles.  Their new space accommodates its growing design and business operations and also boasts a retail store.

“We moved our team to the Cooper Building to be featured alongside many other reputable fashion and sportswear leaders,” says Niels Juul, CEO of Hot Tuna. “Our new showroom will give us instant access to fashion buyers whilst serving as our design, marketing and branding headquarters.”

Store Hours and Location:

Mon - Sat 10:00 am to 5 pm.

846 S. Los Angeles St.

Los Angeles CA, 90014

Ph: 213.891.9409

Click here to get map.

When Good Swimwear Gets Worn Bad...
December, 2007

Check out these pics of celebrity Tara Reid in a Hot Tuna swimsuit-- [1] [2] [3] [4].

Hot Tuna Surf Lesson...
December, 2007

Who: Pro Surfer Cody Graham along with Andy Irons, Bruce Irons, Sarah Beardmore, Greg Kaplan, Serena Brooke, Rochelle Ballard, Megan Abubo, Kainoa McGee, Micheal Ho, Macy Mullen, Tamayo Perry, and Hawaiian legend Buttons Kaluhiokalani will all be on hand to teach a group disabled kids to surf. The band The Pricks and the North Shore Lifeguards will also be there showing their expertise.

What: Hot Tuna International PLC (AIM:HTT), a lifestyle apparel brand with authentic surf heritage, and world renowned pro surfers have joined forces with Hawaii based, Acesssurf Hawaii to introduce the sport of surfing to a group of handicapped members of their organization.

When: Saturday, December 15th, 2007, 9am – 12pm

Where: White Plains Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

For press inquiries contact: Meryl Haley Shout Public Relations, 949-574-1440 or 561-573-7805 email: meryl@shoutpr.com

About Hot Tuna: Born Down Under in the summer of ’69 to serve the apparel needs of sojourning surfers, the Hot Tuna brand grew to global prominence in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and went public in the UK in Oct. 2005. While headquartered in London, Hot Tuna (International) PLC (AIM: HTT) maintains offices in Sydney, Australia, and in Southern California in the USA. The brand serves core retail, drawing its inspiration from international surf culture and global fashion, and the Company is committed to the timeless values that its iconic Piranha logo has come to embody: authenticity, creativity and nonconformity. For more information on Hot Tuna, please visit www.hottunausa.com.

About AccesSurf Hawaii: In the aloha spirit that Duke Kahanamoku introduced surfing to others, AccesSurf Hawaii was created to share adaptive surfing with everyone who has the desire to enter the ocean and ride waves. AccesSurf Hawaii is a Non Profit Corporation started to make Hawaiian beaches accessible for everyone and to provide therapeutic instruction for the advancement of Adaptive Surfing in Hawaii. For more information on AccesSurf Hawaii, please visit www.accessurfhawaii.org.

"Keep It Blue" Party...
December, 2007

Heavywater Magazine's annual December party scored a perfect 10 across the leader board as the "Keep It Blue" benefit for the Surfrider Foundation got pretty crazy on a windy Thursday night in Honolulu at the O Lounge on Kaiolani Boulevard. The party, in conjunction with Hot Tuna marketing director Cody Graham, who towed along his posse of bands including OPM, The Pricks and Kauai's Sashamon brought down the house to the likes of the 1000 plus on hand for the rager.

Added to that, $20K worth of goods from the surf industry along with the VIP open bar, courtesy Steinlager beer, Ocean Vodka and Twin Fin wine and the place absolutely blew up.

Over $5000 in cash was raised for the Hawaii chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and it was one of the rare moments in surfing history where the likes of Peter Cole could mix it up with young guns like Sean Moody and veteran surfers like Kainoa McGee, Rusty Keaulana, Kala Alexander and crew. The night opened up with the Surfrider Foundation John Kelly Environmental Achievement Awards awards in which the three category award winners came up to accept special trophies for their service and time to the environment including: Life Time Achievement Awards for his service to surfing- Triple Crown organizer Randy Rarick Professional Surfer Award- California's James Pribram Most Environmentally Friendly Hawaii-based Company Award-Bob & Kelly King's company Pacific Biodiesel.

From there, the place went nuts, with OPM opening up the house for the 500 plus fine and beautiful ladies and the amped out surfers. Sashamon followed with their cool style and vibrations and one of the hottest bands on the SoCal circuit The Pricks closed the place down.

Members of University of Hawaii's Sugar Bowl bound football team also made a stop in after practice. Colt and the boys gave support to special teams punt return super star rapper Jason (J-Freg) Ferguson taking his shot on the mic with future NFL receivers Bess and company on backup.

In between sets, five Keoki surfboards went out the door along with goods from Hot Tuna, Blue Hawaii, BayVi, Alpinestars, HIC, Local Motion, Town and Country, Matuse Wetsuits, Ezekiel, Jedidiah, Surf and Sea, Crank and Carve, Soda Sunglasses and the rest of the industry.

Big props go out to Heavywater Marketing Manager Jason Bourne for pulling it together, along with his crew of Alex, Zak, Crystal and company and to Surfriders goals for a greener, blue planet.

Sarah Beardmore signs with Hot Tuna...
October, 2007

Hot Tuna (International) PLC (AIM:HTT), a lifestyle apparel brand with authentic surf heritage, proudly welcomes Sarah Beardmore to the Hot Tuna Team!

“I am pleased to welcome Sarah Beardmore to the Hot Tuna International Team,” says Cody Graham, Marketing Director of Hot Tuna.

“Sarah is not only a beautiful girl, but she is also an amazing surfer. She will represent Hot Tuna as a role model for young girls, and she's the perfect spokesperson to represent the ladies of Hot Tuna.”

Hailing from Australia, Beardmore, 24, placed 2nd in the 2006 Billabong Queensland Surfing Series and won the 2006 Boardfest® in Huntington Beach, CA.  She is currently a challenger on the World Qualifying Series and not only is she a huge personality on the women’s tour, but she is also completing her B.A. in Business.

“I am so happy to be a part of the Hot Tuna team. Hot Tuna is one of the most recognized surf brands in the world, and it is exciting to be involved in the global re-launch of the company,” says Beardmore.

“With their renowned history, edgy apparel and an amazing team of people, I look forward to growing with the brand.”

Toby Atkins wins UK PST Elusive Welsh Open UK PRO SURF TOUR EVENT
October, 2007

Australian surfers Toby Atkins and Dara Penfold win the ‘2007 Elusive Welsh Open’, the 4th of 8 UK Pro Tour (UKPST) competitions being held this year.

This was the second tour event win for Toby in two years, showing he is in form and one of the contenders for the 2007 tour title. It is remarkable considering he is coming back from injury after suffering ligament damage surfing earlier in the year

Toby commented “It is great to win against such a strong field of competitors, I am looking forward to coming back and defending this title” adding “I would like to thank my sponsors for their support and Elusive for stepping in and sponsoring the event”.

Dara Penfold made it two in a row on the Women’s UK Pro Surf Tour. However at this event she did not have it all her own way, Easkey Britton (Ireland) pushed her all the way defeating her in the semi finals and only missing out by 0.8 in the final.

The event was held at Rest Bay Porthcawl and was the seventh year the tour has come to Wales, the last two years the event has been held at Freshwater Beach in Pembrokeshire. Prior to that it had been hosted at Langland Bay and Llanglennith Beach. 

The Relentless Money Move for the best Cut back was closely contested throughout the event but eventually won by Newquay based surfer Llewellyn Whittaker who is also coming back from a serious injury to his leg.

Dave Reed, Director of the UKPST states, “I would like to thank Elusive for supporting this event at such a late stage and giving the tour an opportunity to come to Wales” adding “Wales has many talented surfers, twenty years ago they were not just the best in the UK but amongst some of the best in Europe. I believe this event will inspire and give an opportunity for the local surfers to push their skills to be able to compete with the best in Europe again”.

Nick Clewer, founder and Company Director of Elusive further comments, “I would like to thank all the surfers for coming to the event, it has been one of the biggest surf contests we have seen in Porthcawl and we look forward to making it even bigger in the future”.

A big thanks go out to 2007 UK PST sponsors, G Shock for providing hospitality for the competitors, staff and media throughout the weekend, Relentless for providing, not only an endless supply of energy drink but also the money manoeuvre prize of £250 for each stop on the Tour and Skinners Brewery for the party refreshment.

This event was produced and promoted by UK Surf promotions Ltd. and Evo Management (uk) Ltd.

Next Tour Event (Round 5): G Shock North East Open, 20-21 October 2007; 1st leg Relentless Triple Crown.

Reggae On the Beach
September, 2007

Things got wet and wild at Hot Tuna's September 14th charity event called, 'Reggae On the Beach."  Held at San Diego's Wave House, the unforgettable party was thrown by Hot Tuna's Cody Graham to raise funds for longtime surfer and artist, Jeannie Chesser.

In May 2007, Jeannie was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer. Jeannie, 58, has had surgery to remove the lump and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. When Cody Graham, Hot Tuna's Marketing Director (www.hottunaint.com), learned of Jeannie's growing stack of medical bills, he decided to take action.

As a former pro surfer, Cody rounded up some of the biggest names in action sports to throw a fundraiser in honor of Jeannie. 'I've been friends with the Chesser family forever," says Cody, 'Jeannie has given so much to the surfing community. I wanted to throw a party where everyone could give back to Jeannie in her time of need."

Kicked off at 9:00 pm, the fundraiser drew hundreds of reggae fans to the Wave House located on Ocean Front Walk in Mission Beach (www.wavehouse.com). The beachfront venue is famous for its ten-foot 'indoor" wave machine that treats riders to an endless barrel. The crowd went wild as surfers busted 360's off the lip and disappeared inside the spiraling tube.

Taking a break from the ASP Boost Mobile Pro was Wildcard, Jordy Smith. 'I thought I could come out and show my support for Cody and this great cause," said Smith.

Making a real splash was a live performance by Sashamon (www.sashamon.com). His blend of Reggae, Rock, and Hawaiian music is an island favorite for top Kauai professional surfers.

By 11:00 o'clock, the jamming sounds of Iration (www.irationmusic.com) lured Rasta fans to the sand-filled dance floor.

Party girl, Kaela Asher drove all the way from Santa Barbara to hear Iration. 'I'm a huge fan of their music," said Kaela. 'The fact that all proceeds from this event went to a worthy cause made the night even better."

Hyping up the crowd was TV's Rad Girls (http://fuse.tv/radgirls/index.php). The Girl Jack Asses brought their very own beer bong on stage for some unforgettable entertainment.

Making a guest appearance was Jamaica's Eek-a-Mouse. The crowd went wild as the
Reggae icon dropped signature 'singjaying" beats throughout the night.

Capping off the music was a killer set from acclaimed band, OPM (www.opmden.com).   Rooted in California, the group blends the sounds of Sublime, NWA and Red Hot Chili Peppers. With three albums under their belt, OPM treated the crowd to their top hit, 'Heaven Is A Halfpipe."

The life motto of OPM lead singer, John E Necro's was the perfect theme for the charity event. 'Everything in life happens for a reason," said Necro. "You can't not swing at curve balls just because they're hard to hit."

Jeannie Chesser, star of the event, is an expert at hitting curve balls. Her husband died in a car accident two years after they were married. In 1997, their 28-year old son, Todd, drowned while surfing 20 foot waves near Waimea Bay. Todd and Hot Tuna's Cody Graham were best friends and were known for charging monster waves on the North Shore. Cody was the last person to see Todd alive, making the Chesser fundraiser personal for both Cody and Jeannie.

Jeannie's current bout with cancer is not her first. In 2005, she had a skin graft on the side of her nose to remove cancerous cells. Despite her weight loss and lack of energy, the surf icon says riding waves has been her greatest therapy. She still manages to paddle out on her shortboard and continues to make art a top priority.

Honoring Jeannie's artistic talent was Tane KuAliiokalani Haili of Echo Tech Foam Blanks (www.echotech-enterprises.com). 'To raise money for this event, I donated two of my best surfboards," said Tane.   He has known Jeannie for fifteen years and added 'Everyone in the surfing community is committed to helping her fight this battle."

Also auctioned off at 'Reggae On The Beach" were surf portraits by Sunny Miller, Sector 9 skateboards, beachfront rental property and original artwork by Hawaii's David Dickey (www.dadickey.com) Thanks to Cody Graham and his successful event, thousands of dollars were raised to help Jeannie with her medical costs.

Jeannie says she is extremely touched by the abundance of love and support she has received. On September 20th, friends will gather in Hawaii for a similar fundraiser in her name. The event will include live entertainment, door prizes and a silent auction featuring personal boards from pro surfers Kelly Slater, Andy Irons and Bonga Perkins.

"When I first pictured my name linked with the words, 'cancer patient,' it was just so hard to accept," she said. "But once I did, I felt a calmness come over me. If I die, I know I'll be happy. I'll see Todd."

Donations can be sent to: Da Friends of Jeannie Chesser, First Hawaiian Bank, 1348 Hunakai St., Honolulu, HI 96816. For

HOT TUNA TO HOST 3RD LEG OF THE UK PRO SURF TOUR AT WIDEMOUTH
August, 2007

The next scheduled tour date for the 3rd leg of the UK Pro Surf Tour is The 2007 “Summer of ‘69” Hot Tuna Pro surfing championship, set to start August 25th through August 26th at Widemouth Bay in Bude. The UK Pro Tour’s Hot Tuna event will now be known as a travelling event, changing locations year on year to give a fresh look to the event through the mid summer months.

Widemouth has breaks along the entire beach and works best on mid to high tide up to 6 ft. It is a favourable venue for Tour surfers looking to gain valuable points toward the prestigious year and to end holding the UK Pr Tour Title. Divisions include Men’s Open, worth £3000, Women’s Open, worth £500, U’16+U’12 Grommet Comps and the Relentless Money Move, offering £250 for the best move over the entire weekend. Grommet Finals are scheduled to take place on Saturday with the Open and Women’s final on Sunday 26th August.

With G-Shock, new Tour sponsors aboard for this year, providing the event with the first mobile contest seen on the UK Pro Tour, for the first time ever it will be possible for the judges to have an indoor judging area set up, a media accreditation room and surfers lounge- greatly adding to the infrastructure for the 2007 tour. Micah Lester, last years tour winner and sponsored rider of Hot Tuna says; “I am glad to be back on tour for yet another year running, I am focused more than ever and from spending time back home in Australia surfing great waves, I am ready for the next leg of the tour and hope to do well holding onto my title for another year running.” Toby Akins, Hot Tuna rider, went on to further say; “I am fully focused on surfing this year. I am only just out of injury from hurting my ankle and look forward to what sounds like an exciting new and improved year for the tour- I can’t wait! Currently leading the tour is Newquay lad Mark ‘Egor’ Harris, UK Tour Champ in 2003. Egor is one of the best UK surfers and a popular surfer on tour. A tour victory by Egor would be a popular one but all the other surfers will be out to stop him, not least Hot Tuna team riders Toby Atkins and Micah Lester.

In addition to surfing, spectators and athletes can expect to enjoy many beach-related activities at this seaside sporting venue and in the surf-stoked town of Bude. Saturday night will see the event party take place at The Widemouth Manor where Tour surfers and staff will be treated to food and Skinners Beers courtesy the Tour Sponsors whilst listening to upcoming reggae/jazz band Sellors and the Scientists. Surfers will also be able to camp free in the field next door. You will also be able to sit back and enjoy Skinners ale who will be supporting the rest of the tour alongside Relentless energy drink and of course our new tour sponsors G-shock.

Von Dutch Managing Director Joins as Chief Executive Officer of Hot Tuna
July, 2007

Hot Tuna (International) PLC (AIM:HTT), a lifestyle apparel brand with authentic surf heritage, is pleased to announce the appointment of Niels Anders Juul, as chief executive officer.

Niels Juul will be based in Newport Beach, and he will be responsible for overseeing the overall development of the brand and managing Hot Tuna’s worldwide operations located in London, Sydney and Newport Beach. He will be reporting to Elle Macpherson, creative executive director, and on the board of Hot Tuna International PLC, listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM).

“Hot Tuna is happy to welcome Niels to the team. His experience, wisdom and insight in the fashion industry will significantly benefit Hot Tuna’s development,” says Elle Macpherson. “We look forward to working with him.”

Niels Juul, who originates from Denmark, joins Hot Tuna from Von Dutch, where he was most recently Managing Director. He was not only responsible for overseeing global brand development and positioning, but also led a team in establishing Von Dutch, through distributorships, retail development and license-agreements, worldwide.

Mr. Juul successfully managed a growth from $5 million to $50 million in revenue over three years in worldwide sales of apparel alone. Mr. Juul was also responsible for the design and launch of the successful Von Dutch Eyewear collections that is currently distributed in over 15 countries. His knowledge of the global retail markets will be integral to Hot Tuna’s future growth.

“With the tremendous heritage of Hot Tuna, I see an exciting opportunity to boost the presence of a label that dares to be different and is as cutting edge as it was in its original form, back in Australia in 1969,” says Niels Juul. “Working with Elle Macpherson and her sharp creative vision, I believe that Hot Tuna will make a lasting impression in the surf-market.

Through an uncompromising approach to product development, it has the potential to make a real impact as a young fashion label, because it represents a culture, an attitude and a lifestyle that is truly global.”

By staying true to this lifestyle and pursuing consistency in design and visual expression, we can explore all sorts of product categories with Hot Tuna, while we maintain authenticity and establish something credible in the surf-world and relevant in the marketplace.

New CEO of Hot Tuna sets up surf lesson for ex-gang members. Click here to watch the video.
July, 2007

Niels Juul may grow wealthy enough in his new job to own a mansion, servants and a fleet of sports cars. But he'll have none of it.

The Denmark native, who took over last month as chief executive of the surf clothing retailer Hot Tuna, believes in using his power for the greater good. In his last job, as managing director for the clothing company Von Dutch, he oversaw a worldwide charity drive for tsunami victims. Now, Juul is seeking a philanthropic role for Hot Tuna — and he started Saturday by teaching 16 former gang members how to surf.

At noon, Juul set up a training session at the Santa Ana River Jetties for Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles-based program that helps ex-gang members find steady employment. Some of the trainees, who worked with four professional surfers, may go on to land jobs with Hot Tuna. If they do, it's a win-win situation.

"We don't just want to be a surf brand with a logo on a T-shirt," said Juul, who oversees Hot Tuna's worldwide operations from the company's Newport Beach office. "We want to stand for something."

Juul may be a newcomer to surf culture, but he brings worldwide experience to his new post. He started with an advertising agency in Copenhagen in the 1980s and then moved to the eyewear company Filtenborg, opening its first division in the United States. With Von Dutch, where he built a global retail network, he made his home in Australia, France and England.

Earlier this year, Hot Tuna — which originated in Australia in 1969 and is run by model Elle Macpherson — recruited Juul, who was living in Los Angeles at the time. He rented a room at the Bay Shore Inn and promptly threw himself into planning new lines of swimwear, eyewear and other garments for the company.

In embracing beach culture, Juul had a valuable ally. Cody Graham, a professional surfer who works as the company's marketing director, helped him conceive a pair of new T-shirt slogans: "Don't Snake Me" and "No High Maka Maka." The former, in surf-speak, translates to "don't steal my wave;" the latter means "no inflated egos."

"With his business expertise and my surfing expertise, we complement each other," Graham said. "We can create something great together for this company."