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p12 :: Industry
Brand ID buys
Cuan Chelin
Super-Brands
Some of South Africa’s most iconic sports brands have
found a new home and owner, but will keep the same
management teams. Story & photo: Nicol du Toit
In a mere six years, Super-Brands had
established themselves as a major distributor
of sporting goods in South Africa,
supplying leading brands in most
sporting codes. From April 1 this year,
this division will become part of the Seardel
Investment Corporation.
Just before we went to press, Cuan Chelin,
CEO of Super-Brands, confirmed that an
agreement was reached to sell their sports
distribution business to Seardel Investment
Corporation. He explained that they had been
in discussions with the Seardel Group for some
months, because they targeted Speedo as a
brand that they would have liked to distribute
in Southern Africa. They identified Speedo as
a perfect fit with their other sports brands.
Same strategy
Sports Trader :: 2014 March
There is a huge opportunity
to leverage each other’s
strengths
It transpired that both companies had embarked
on the same strategy and they considered
other options, but eventually Seardel
made them an offer to take over their sports
brands. Both parties agreed that this is the
best deal as far as doing justice to the brands
is concerned.
The Super-Brands brands will be housed
within Brand ID Ignite, which is a full subsidiary
of Seardel. Du Toit Botes and Steve Gallienne,
who head the two Super-Brands sports
divisions, will report directly to Wayne Bebb,
CEO of Brand ID Ignite. The brand management
teams will move to the Brand ID offices
in Wembley Square and the logistics and supply
chain team will be housed in their operational
centre in Epping, Cape Town.
The Handicap Network Africa, SportingBet
and Toy Kingdom divisions will remain with Super-Brands.
Chelin said that they will continue
to seek other acquisitions in the retail, online,
interactive and technical industries.
Super-Brands bought Dunslaz in 2008, obtained
the Canterbury distribution rights in
2009 and subsequently also acquired global
sports brands Skins, Mizuno and Nathan and
Everlast in 2013.
Same management teams
Gallienne will remain responsible for the
Dunslaz division, which includes brands like
Slazenger and Dunlop (tennis, squash and
cricket), Karrimor (outdoor), Opro (mouthguards)
Ashaway (strings), Karakal (racket accessories)
and Swingball (garden toys).
Botes will continue to manage the division
that consists of brands Canterbury (rugby and
teamwear) Skins (compression), Mizuno (footwear),
Nathan (running accessories) and Everlast
(boxing lifestyle).
Business will continue as usual for all orders
placed with Super-Brands for after 1 April,
says Chelin. Orders will be transferred, along
with any reserved stock, but invoiced by Brand
ID, who’ll be contacting all Super-Brands customers
who don’t have an account with them
to open one.
Brand ID will, however not, be acquiring the
Super-Brands outstanding debtors book and
these amounts should continue to be paid into
the same accounts as usual, says Chelin.
“It’s definitely been an emotional week for
me,” he says. “I am saddened to be moving
away from an exceptionally talented team,
mixed with fond memories of the industry and
relationships I have formed, and yet feel great
excitement about the Super-Brands Group
with additional capital resources to grow and
acquire new businesses.
“Disposing of this part of our business was
no easy decision, but we think now is the right
time to join forces with Brand ID, because
there is a huge opportunity to leverage each
other’s strengths and move even faster towards
what was my long term vision for the
brands,” he says.
“Wayne (Bebb) assures me that they plan to
continue to run the businesses the way we always
have — continuing to do what is best for
the brands, our culture and our customers.”
New Xtri sponsors
CANTERBURY, MIZUNO, Nathan and Skins
— locally distributed by Super-Brands —
are new technical and sportswear sponsors
of Xtri-Series South Africa, which took
place in November.
“Xtri is perfectly aligned with regards to
the high end technical performance our
brands have to offer, from the novice to
the off road warrior athlete!” says Paul
Copson, brand manager.
Mizuno and Skins have signed SA Womans Hockey
player Quanita Bobbs, a student at the University of
Stellenbosch. She was awarded provincial colours
(WP) when she was U14 and has been a regular in
national and provincial youth teams since then. .
Photo: Terry February Photography .