Fenix Outdoor International is acquiring Royal Robbins, the American brand of travel and outdoor garments, to complement an apparel offering that is led by the Fjällräven brand. The acquisition will be consolidated in the second quarter.
The seller is Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co (BRS), a private equity firm from New York that bought Royal Robbins from the Kellwood Company in 2012. The sale to the Fenix group was agreed at an undisclosed price and the buyer said it would not impact its key financial figures in any material way this year.
Fenix is the owner of the Fjällräven, Tierra, Hanwag, Primus and Brunton brands, along with leading outdoor retailers in four European countries, from Globetrotter in Germany to Naturkompaniet in Sweden, Partioaitta in Finland and Friluftsland in Denmark, which was acquired last year.
The formally Swiss and Swedish-based group explains that the Royal Robbins brand neatly complements its apparel brands. While Fjällräven is most strongly associated with hiking and rugged outdoor activities, Royal Robbins focuses on travel and adventure, with a large share of female buyers. It has loyal customers who want garments for light outdoor activities and travel, with technical details but without the appearance of outdoor garments. They are most likely to be middle-aged women who appreciate a relatively ample fit, inconspicuous colors and comfortable fabrics.
Bradshaw Taylor, a leading British outdoor distribution company, has been distributing Royal Robbins in Europe for several years, with Chloe Ticehurst concentrating on the U.K. and Wolfgang Jahn on Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Bradshaw Taylor has just announced that it will hand over to Fenix the distribution after deliveries of the autumn/winter 2018/19 season. It will then focus on the distribution of Sherpa Adventure Gear in Europe.
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