Yorkshire based outdoor clothing brand for women closes £3m in investment

Today, ACAI Outdoorwear, the UK’s first and only outdoorwear brand for women, has completed an investment of £3m. The investment comes from consumer-focused investment firm, Growth Partner, which is backed by HomeServe plc Founder and CEO Richard Harpin.

Growth Partner has taken a minority stake to help accelerate ACAI’s growth plans in the UK and internationally. ACAI’s previous investors, DSW Ventures, will be stepping away, having supported the business since October 2019. This exit has achieved a net cash return of 4.2x for the DSW Ventures investors.

ACAI was founded in 2016 by fashion designer and entrepreneur Kasia Bromley and her husband Joe. The couple have experienced exceptional growth with ACAI, doubling revenue each year since inception and growing the staff base from 4 to 25 over the last three years.

Investment into the management team this year has seen Joe step down as CEO and the recruitment of Richard Leedham (ex-Berghaus CEO and Pentland Group Executive Board member) into the role to lead the next phase of growth.

Kasia whose design experience included the likes of Alexander McQueen saw a need for innovation in women’s outdoor clothing. Frustrated by the existing attitude which was based on a male product which had been ‘pinked and shrinked’. Kasia created a brand with designs that are flattering and empowering to the female form whilst being stylish and technical in nature.

Priding themselves on an evergreen, sustainable ethos, styles are timeless in design, built to last whilst having technical characteristics such as being water resistant and thermal. Led by hero product the Skinny Outdoor trouser the brand has expanded to include outdoor leggings, tops, accessories and recently launched their first jacket, hoodies, mid-layers.

This investment will support the acceleration of strategic opportunities for the business, to grow internationally, launch new products and expand from the direct-to-consumer channel. With Growth Partner’s investment and Richard Harpin’s strategic insight, expertise in international expansion and scaling multi-channel consumer businesses, ACAI will embark on its next stage of exciting growth.

ACAI creative director, Kasia Bromley said “My mission is to inspire more women to get outdoors to enjoy nature for their mental and physical wellbeing. Women deserve outdoor clothing which makes them feel great and performs to enhance their confidence. This investment will support ACAI to reach many more women. I am delighted to be partnering with Richard, James and the Growth Partner team to accelerate ACAI’s growth”

Growth Partner investment director, James Worrall added “ACAI operates in the Outdoorwear market which has experienced significant growth but is yet to be disrupted by a direct-to-consumer challenger brand. ACAI’s products being functional and technical in nature whilst being stylish and flattering to the female form are revolutionising the outdoorwear market.

“ACAI has successfully created a community of highly engaged brand advocates where ACAI is more than a product, it is a brand that is empowering women to be active outdoors. We’re extremely excited to be partnering with Kasia, Joe and the team to support them as they introduce the brand to more customers across international markets and via new sales channels.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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