Bergfreunde GmbH, the German online specialist retailer for mountain sports, climbing and outdoor equipment, has a new strategic partner: French sporting goods manufacturer and retailer Decathlon is acquiring the German company from US outdoor retailer Backcountry. The purchase agreement was signed on Nov. 24, 2023. The transaction is still pending and is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
Bergfreunde will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Decathlon S.E. but remain a separate legal entity. The online pure-player will continue to operate independently in organizational and operational terms, completely detached from Decathlon’s core business on the market. There will also be no changes to the organizational structure and personnel at Bergfreunde. The two long-standing managing directors, Matthias Gebhard and Ronny Höhn, will continue to run the company as usual, as will the existing management team.
With the acquisition of Bergfreunde, Decathlon is expanding its strategic portfolio with a digital-based business model to develop the premium outdoor segment further.
You can read more on this topic in our sister publication The Outdoor Industry Compass.
