Authentic Brands Group acquires IP of Hunter

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, has acquired the intellectual property of footwear brand Hunter. 

The British heritage brand, best known for its “iconic” Wellington boots, has evolved over the years from a rubber boot to a lifestyle brand, offering an expansive footwear collection, outerwear, bags and accessories designed for outdoor performance.

Authentic said the addition of Hunter will drive its strategy of diversifying its portfolio with brands that originate from outside of the US. It added that it will use its global network of category experts and “best-in-class” operating partners to accelerate the worldwide expansion of Hunter in the US and Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as key markets across Asia and the Pacific region. 

Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of Authentic, said: “We are excited to finalise the acquisition of Hunter, an original footwear and outerwear pioneer. At the intersection of fashion and outdoor, Hunter introduces another elevated global brand to Authentic’s diverse Lifestyle portfolio. 

“We are also pleased to expand our relationships with two long-standing Authentic partners, Batra Group and Marc Fisher, each of whom has a proven track record of unparalleled expertise in product development across a range of categories and an established network of prominent retailers. We will look forward to working with them and our greater partner network to continue growing the Hunter brand.”

The Batra Group (Batra) is a global organisation based in the UK with expertise in product development, design, sourcing and distribution. Through the new partnership with Authentic, Batra will become the core licensee in the UK and continental Europe. It will also be responsible for designing and developing Hunter footwear, apparel and accessories and operating Hunter’s branded retail stores, wholesale distribution and e-commerce in those territories.

Authentic has also signed an agreement with US-based partner Marc Fisher Footwear, a leading full-service fashion footwear company. Marc Fisher will be the core footwear partner for Hunter in the US, taking on the brand’s footwear design, wholesale and e-commerce operations in the territory.

Reports that Authentic Brands Group was closing in on the acquisition of Hunter first emerged last month.

Sky News reported that Hunter had listed Authentic as the preferred bidder as a sale process neared a conclusion. It also said that one source suggested the deal might value Hunter at £100m, far above prior estimates.