Dive Brief:
- CSC Generation Enterprise announced Monday its acquisition of outdoor recreation apparel and gear retailer Backcountry. The deal includes Backcountry's brand portfolio of MotoSport, Competitive Cyclist and Steep and Cheap, according to a company press release.
- CSC said Backcountry will continue operating under its own brand name. The acquisition expands CSC’s portfolio to more than 10 brands. A Backcountry spokesperson declined to disclose the deal’s financial terms.
- Backcountry CEO Melanie Cox said joining CSC and leveraging its resources will enable the outdoor retailer to expand its market presence.
Dive Insight:
CSC founder and CEO Justin Yoshimura said Backcountry was an attractive acquisition for several reasons. Those include an extensive, varied product range; the brand’s connections with the outdoor community; and its passionate, loyal customers.
"By integrating their strengths with our commitment to digital innovation, we believe there is significant potential for continued growth,” Yoshimura said in an announcement. CSC says it focuses on acquiring retailers that are experiencing financial distress and transforming them into digitally-led businesses offering curated customer experiences, thanks to its experience in market intelligence, supply chain, and in-store, online and catalog sales.
Established in 1996 as Backcountry.com, the Utah-based retailer offers high-performance outdoor gear, apparel and expert-level gear knowledge for camping, trail running, mountain biking, skiing and other activities.
In November, Backcountry announced its intent to expand into wholesale by offering its namesake brand at other national retailers this year. Backcountry began offering its own label products in 2018. Its offering includes anoraks and ski jackets with Gore-Tex fabric, among other products. The company said at the time it planned to solicit wholesale retail partners during the Outdoor Retailer conference that month.
In addition to its online store, Backcountry has nine brick-and-mortar retail locations — in Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah; Boulder, Colorado; Bozeman, Montana; Seattle; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Palo Alto, California; and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles location was one of three that opened last year, along with the D.C. and Palo Alto shops.
One of CSC’s recent acquisitions is Sur La Table, which it bought out of bankruptcy in a joint venture with Marquee Brands for nearly $89 million in 2020. The company’s portfolio also includes home-oriented companies One Kings Lane (once owned by Bed Bath & Beyond) and Cherry Man Industries, men’s lifestyle brand Touch of Modern and Home Designs, a kitchen and bath design company, among others.
