Brooks Running, a Berkshire Hathaway firm, recorded 38 percent sales growth in the EMEA in Q2 and a 12 percent increase in the U.S. to keep the company on track for double-digit revenue growth in 2022. During the period, the brand initiated a soft launch in China that focused on digital sales.
Citing a “normalizing” global running market after the pandemic’s disruptive impact on consumer behavior worldwide, retail markets and the supply chain, the company says its long-term growth forecast remains positive due to expected global participation growth that will outpace historical trends.
This month, Brooks is launching a global brand campaign, “It’s Your Run,” that it describes as a celebration of the creative ways all types of runners get to their personal finish lines.
Thanks to a manufacturing recovery, Brooks was able to start fully meeting demand in May and launch its Glycerin 20 franchise featuring the brand’s new nitrogen-infusion technology in June. Developed by the brand’s Blueline Lab, the technology is said to provide more cushioning in the midsole without sacrificing weight. Besides the Glycerin 20, the tech is also available in Caldera 6 shoes. Brooks intends to bring innovation to more of its products over time.
In the U.S. market specifically, Brooks secured five of the top 25 adult performance running shoes at retail during the first half – the Ghost 14, Adrenaline GTS 22, Adrenaline GTS 21, Revel 5 and the Glycerin 19 – with The Ghost and Adrenaline maintaining their positions as the top-selling franchise lines in the market with a combined 14 percent of sales revenue, according to The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service for the six months ended June 30.
