WeSports has completed the acquisition of the trademarks, e-commerce platform and customer database of Keller Sports and KellerX. Facing financial challenges due to the impact of Covid-19, the German Keller Group – then the parent company of Keller Sports, Keller X, Keller Premium and Keller Smiles – filed for insolvency proceedings in self-administration with the Munich District Court in December 2022 and failed to find new investors thereafter. Keller Sports had been one of the most award-winning and celebrated online destinations in Europe in recent years, with sales of around €100 million in 2022.
Relaunched Keller Sports to benefit from WeSports expertise
The new owners say that the new Keller Sports will serve as a comprehensive sporting goods destination, benefiting from the expertise and market leadership of WeSports, which includes specialists and leading brands in various categories such as running, bicycles, fitness, skiing, floorball, ice hockey, water sports, mobility and many more in Sweden and the Nordic countries.
“We want Keller Sports to be a true destination that caters to all aspects of the sports lifestyle, including the gear, clothes, and shoes,” commented Mikael Olander, Chairman of WeSports and a former decathlon athlete in the Olympics. “Our goal is to provide an unbeatable range of products, covering both specialized athletic equipment and fashionable leisure gear.”
Olander added: “At Keller Sports and our Keller Pro stores, both online and in our stores, you should be able to meet experts who know all the ins and outs of the sport, how to train, how to compete, which sports clubs to join, which destinations to travel and explore, which classes to take and get all the expert advice and inspiration that elevates the sport for you. We want you to come to Keller to engage with experts who share the same passion for the sport as you do. This is the spirit we aim to capture with WeSports and Keller.”
E-commerce Footway+ will support relaunch of Keller Sports
To support the relaunch of Keller Sports, WeSports entered into a strategic partnership with Footway Group and its recently launched e-commerce service, Footway+. Footway+ will be the backbone of the relaunch of WeSports’ Keller Sports brand. It offers bundled services for e-commerce stores and end customers, ranging from warehousing to customer support.
“This is a significant step for us,” said Footway Group CEO Daniel Mühlbach. “For WeSports to choose us as their partner shows the quality and potential of Footway+.”
By combining the strengths of WeSports as a sporting goods destination with the partnership and integration of Footway+, Keller Sports will offer “one of the most attractive customer propositions in terms of selection, value and service in the market,” the group said.
With the new partnership with Footway Group and the integration of the Footway+ service and its newly launched website footwayplus.com, the partners are convinced that Keller will be able to expand its offering and deliver even better service to its customers, with the goal of revitalizing the brand and continuing to deliver quality products to its loyal customers across Europe.
”Footway Group is an ideal partner for WeSports as they provide an excellent gateway to continental Europe while at the same time enhancing Keller Sports’ offerings in sports categories outside of WeSport’s core expertise,” said Martin Appelfeldt, CEO of WeSports Scandinavia AB. “With Footway+, we can really exploit our potential and grow internationally.”
