Authentic Brands Group completes acquisition of Boardriders

The acquisition has been finalized. After initiating the purchase of Boardriders in early spring, the American giant Authentic Brands Group officially announced the completion of the operation on September 1, following a slight delay.

The surf sports company, owner of Quiksilver, Billabong, Rvca, Element, DC Shoes, as well as VonZipper, the multi-brand retailer Boardriders, and the Honolua Surf label, has now joined the extensive brand portfolio of the group founded and led by Canadian billionaire Jamie Salter. The group already owned Vision Streetwear, Airwalk, and Volcom.

“With the completion of this acquisition, Authentic’s annual retail sales now exceed $29 billion globally,” the company announced. “Today, Authentic is rolling out its proven brand development and value creation program and will soon announce a list of top-tier partners worldwide to help the brands take the next step in their growth.”

According to reports in the American trade press, the teams that distribute and develop Volcom could also take on several Boardriders brands in North America.

Authentic’s unique approach is to grant production and distribution licenses to partners in different territories to develop its brands. While initial plans seem to be in place for the American operation, it remains to be seen who the selected partners will be for the European operation and what the future holds for the numerous teams at the European headquarters in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the French Basque Country.