Decathlon takes over the online outdoor specialist Bergfreunde

Matthias Gebhard, Managing Director of Bergfreunde, sees the planned takeover as the next step in the company’s history: “We will take the company to the next level of growth,” he explained in a statement. “We are convinced that with Decathlon we have a smart, financially strong and long-term operating partner at our side.”

Bergfreunde GmbH was founded in 2006 in a former textile factory in Kirchentellinsfurt near Tübingen as an online retailer for mountain sports equipment and was acquired by Backcountry in 2013. Since then, annual turnover has increased more than tenfold, from 18 million to 242 million euros. Double-digit percentage growth is expected for the current year.

According to a statement, the two long-standing managing directors Matthias Gebhard and Ronny Höhn will continue to run the company with their management team. The online retailer will also continue to operate “organizationally and operationally independently and completely detached from Decathlon’s core business” on the market.

Decathlon is a French, family-run company founded in 1976, which is represented in over 60 countries and is known for its high demand for the best quality at a fair price.