SHIREBROOK, England (BRAIN) — The Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles e-commerce websites will relaunch in the United Kingdom after Frasers Group acquired them and their house brands, including Nukeproof and Vitus Bikes.
Frasers Group has established a presence in the UK cycling market through the Evans Cycles' shop chain. In addition to the e-commerce relaunch, the group is looking to create commercial partnecrships to expand the brands through development, sales, licensing and international distribution opportunities.
Its brands include Prime Components, DhB clothing, Lifeline Tools, Mobi bike pressure washers, and Fohn outdoor clothing.
Signa Sports United, which in October closed its U.S. offices that included the Vitus and Nukeproof operations and Hotlines wholesale distribution in preparation for insolvency filings, sold the CRC and Wiggle brands and IPs earlier this month.
"Wiggle and Chain Reaction are well established names among riders in the UK and across Europe, and the acquisition of both brands is consistent with our ambition to become the No. 1 sporting goods retailer in Europe," said Frasers Group's Russell Merry. "It also brings with it the opportunity to work with respected partners through the highly admired, award-winning product lines that Wiggle and Chain Reaction had built. We are excited to explore partnerships with suppliers or distributors looking to expand their offering or an organization looking to get a foothold in the market by leveraging some established names."
Frasers Group recently has opened more Evans Cycles shops and established an online drop-ship program.
