On August 28th, Baozun Inc, a leading Chinese e-commerce service provider listed on NASDAQ (BZUN) and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (9991), announced the establishment of a strategic partnership with Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a prominent brand management company based in the United States.
Through this collaboration, Baozun will manage the operations of Hunter Boots, a British rain boot manufacturer under ABG, in the Greater China market. Additionally, Baozun will form a joint venture company, ABG Hunter LLC, with ABG to acquire 51% of the intellectual property rights for the Hunter brand in the Greater China and Southeast Asian markets.
Since 2019, Hunter has been expanding its online presence in the Greater China region through various social and e-commerce platforms. Over the past two years, Baozun has been Hunter’s e-commerce partner in the Chinese market, contributing to the growth and profitability of its online business.
In June of this year, ABG acquired the global intellectual property rights of the Hunter brand, with specific terms undisclosed. Earlier reports indicated that Baozun E-commerce was also interested in the acquisition during earlier stages of negotiations. Concurrent with the acquisition, ABG has been strategizing the brand’s operations in different markets, announcing core partnerships with The Batra Group and Marc Fisher Footwear for key regional markets.
Founded in 1856, Hunter originated as the North British Rubber Company, producing rubber goods like tires, conveyor belts, and golf balls. Today, the company is headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has offices in London, New York, and Düsseldorf. Hunter is a traditional British brand and holds the distinction of being a Royal Warrant holder, one of only ten companies with two Royal Warrants.
While Hunter historically focused on Wellington boots, it has diversified its product range over time to encompass various lifestyle products. Transitioning from a rubber boot specialist, Hunter has evolved into a lifestyle brand, offering footwear, outerwear, bags, and accessories tailored for outdoor activities in rural and urban settings.
Vincent Qiu, Founder of Baozun E-commerce and Chairman/CEO of Baozun Group, stated, “We are excited to share our recent partnership with Authentic Brands Group, a leading global brand management company that owns a large portfolio of more than 50 brands, including many iconic and world-renowned lifestyle brands. This marks another milestone in our transformation where all three business lines will cooperate together to deliver an extraordinary suite of services to leading global brand companies in China and other Asian markets. We are full of confidence in this strategic cooperation and look forward to continuing to develop and expand cooperation with ABG Group in Greater China and Southeast Asia and create more business opportunities for more brands.”
Sandrine Zerbib, President of Brand Management at Baozun, mentioned, “We are thrilled to add Hunter, an iconic and rich heritage brand, to the BBM portfolio. Post-COVID, outdoor is a growing trend, and we see excellent growth potential in Greater China, where Hunter has a good reputation as a premium outdoor lifestyle brand. As Baozun has already run Hunter’s e-commerce business in China, we are confident to expand Hunter through additional online and offline channels. We will also expand Hunter into additional product categories to achieve more revenues and rebalance seasonality. We believe the combination of BBM’s China-for-China strategy and our technology and data-driven approach in product and consumer operations will position Hunter for sustainable future growth.”
Jamie Salter, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of ABG, expressed, “We are excited to partner with Baozun to further our vision for Hunter in China and Southeast Asia. Their breadth of expertise in marketing, innovation and technology, along with their experience with Hunter in this important market, makes this a significant partnership within the global brand strategy. We are confident that Baozun will help accelerate the expansion of Hunter in China and other Asian markets, and that the partnership lays the groundwork for future opportunities.”
In November of the previous year, Baozun E-commerce had acquired the Greater China business of American fashion brand Gap for $40 million, marking the initiation of their Brand Management business line.
ABG is a global brand development, marketing, and entertainment platform, with over 50 iconic and globally renowned lifestyle, entertainment, and media brands under its umbrella. ABG establishes long-term value in the market by connecting strong brands with top partners, operators, distributors, and retailers through its global network.
In the Greater China market, ABG previously collaborated with Tristate Holdings Limited in Hong Kong, managing American sportswear brand Reebok, American casual clothing brand Nautica, and high-end ski apparel brand Spyder.
| Source: Official Press Release
| Image Credit: Brand Official Website
| Editor: LeZhi
