Japan trader Marubeni acquires Gola owner Jacobson Group to scale lifestyle platform

The acquisition, announced Jan. 7, marks the first roll-up transaction for R.G. Barry (RGB) Brands since Marubeni Consumer Platform US (MCPU) acquired the lifestyle brand management company in 2024. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Jacobson Group owns and operates multiple footwear brands, with its flagship Gola – founded in 1905 – anchoring a portfolio that includes Lotus, Ravel, Frank Wright, and licensed brands Dunlop and Lonsdale. The company distributes products across more than 30 countries, with primary markets in the UK, North America, and Europe.

RGB becomes acquisition vehicle for Marubeni consumer push

The deal represents a defining step in Marubeni’s strategy to build category-led consumer platforms powered by shared operational engines. MCPU, established under Marubeni’s Next Generation Corporate Development Division, is constructing what it terms a “sizable consumer platform” in the US through RGB as the operational anchor.

RGB, with more than 75 years of category expertise, operates a portfolio including Dearfoams, Baggallini, and Columbus Product Group. The company describes itself as having a “consumer-focused, data-driven, digital-centric, and earth-first philosophy” with scale to reach millions across leading retailers.

“The acquisition of Jacobson Group advances the platform architecture we’ve been building, and comes at a particularly exciting time, fueled by Gola’s rapidly expanding market resonance,” said Shana Randhava, president of MCPU. “This marks a defining step in establishing the MCPU lifestyle platform as a scalable, multi-brand ecosystem.”

120-year Gola brand enters platform era

Gola’s 120-year heritage and what Marubeni describes as its “timeless design aesthetic in lifestyle and casual footwear” positions the brand in attractive, high-potential categories. The brand blends classic British heritage silhouettes with contemporary fashion sensibilities and maintains deep roots in sports, particularly football, where it has built long-standing recognition among athletes.

Jacobson has evolved from a family-founded British footwear business launched in 1982 by brothers Harvey and his sibling into what Marubeni characterizes as a “globally recognized, multi-brand enterprise.” The company’s established brands and select licensing partnerships are expected to fuel growth across the UK, US, and other international markets.

Bob Mullaney, president and CEO of RGB, emphasized the cultural alignment: “Gola brings cultural relevance and global ambition, and the broader Jacobson portfolio extends the platform’s reach across lifestyle and heritage categories. Our values are closely aligned, and we are committed to investing in what already makes these brands distinctive.” Marubeni stated that integrating Jacobson into the RGB platform “will unlock meaningful value through shared scale, enhanced go-to-market capabilities, and the opportunity to elevate heritage brands with significant untapped potential.”

Strategic platform thesis: shared operations, multiple brands

The acquisition aligns with Marubeni’s Mid-Term Management Strategy GC2027, which focuses on Strategic Platform Businesses defined by “Growth Domains x High Added Value x Scalability.” The Next Generation Corporate Development Division aims to capture growth in high-potential consumer businesses through investments and mergers and acquisitions, building what Marubeni positions as new pillars for the company in 2030.

In the lifestyle brand management business, Marubeni stated it will continue expanding its brand portfolio and earnings base through roll-up acquisitions of synergistic growth brands while scaling the lifestyle brand business platform. The company emphasized its commitment to developing brands that align with “increasingly diverse consumer preferences” to enhance long-term corporate value.

The roll-up strategy – an investment approach that seeks to expand business scale and realize synergies through phased acquisition and integration of multiple companies – appears central to MCPU’s thesis. By combining RGB’s robust sales infrastructure and corporate functions with acquired brand portfolios, Marubeni aims to simultaneously accelerate growth of acquired brands while expanding the platform’s capabilities and market reach.