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LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton to acquire Birkenstock

Tom Bottomley
26 February 2021

German footwear and lifestyle brand Birkenstock has reached an agreement to sell a majority stake in Birkenstock Group to LVMH-backed consumer-focused private equity firm, L Catterton, and its affiliates including Financière Agache, the family investment company of Bernard Arnault.

Details of the agreement and the acquisition price have not been disclosed due to confidentiality agreements between all parties.

Birkenstock’s owners, brothers Christian and Alex Birkenstock, will retain a minority stake in the company.

The plan is to invest in the further development of Birkenstock’s direct-to-consumer business and expand its e-commerce platforms, and the new acquisition will also enable further growth in markets such as China and India.

In Europe and America, Birkenstock will further expand its market position by investing in the German sites and expanding production, logistics and sales operations.

Oliver Reichert, CEO of the Birkenstock Group, said: “In L Catterton and Financière Agache we have found not just shareholders, but also partners for achieving our global growth ambitions. They have a great deal of know-how and excellent access to international markets. Both future partners share our growth strategy; for our products to be represented in all international markets and in all channels, while maintaining our long-standing traditions and the unique offer of quality and sustainability ‘made in Germany’.

“We enter this partnership with both our traditions as a family business and a commitment to our roots and our employees front-and-centre. Today marks a quantum leap into the next chapter of our success story. However, we can only write this new chapter thanks to the great work and tireless dedication of all our employees."

In January 2016, private equity firm Catterton, luxury goods leader LVMH and Groupe Arnault, the family holding company of Bernard Arnault, partnered to create L Catterton.

The partnership combined Catterton's existing North American and Latin American private equity operations with LVMH and Groupe Arnault's existing European and Asian private equity and real estate operations, resulting in the largest, diversified consumer-dedicated private equity firm in the world.

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