Frasers Group to launch Sports Direct in Australia and New Zealand
Frasers Group has announced a long-term strategic retail agreement with Accent Group through which it will launch and operate Sports Direct across Australia and New Zealand.
With a significant presence in Australasia, Accent Group is a retailer and distributor of premium lifestyle and sports footwear with over 900 stores and 12 distributed brands, It also has proven retail operations capability in the Australian market.
The move will support Frasers Group’s growth across Australia and New Zealand as it looks to open 100 stores.
As Accent Group’s largest shareholder, Frasers Group will work closely with Accent to continue expanding its existing presence across the region’s sports retail market.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Meanwhile, Accent Group will gain access to a range of global brands owned by Frasers, including the likes of Everlast, Slazenger, Karrimor and USA Pro.
The agreement has included Frasers Group committing to raising its shareholding in Accent Group to 19.57%.
Michael Murray, chief executive of Frasers Group, said: “Since acquiring a strategic shareholding in Accent, we have developed a robust partnership between Frasers and Accent.
Accent has an impressive, well established platform with various sneaker concepts and a strong distribution of brands.
“We’re looking forward to expanding our partnership to launch Sports Direct in Australia and New Zealand, working towards our bold plan of opening 100 stores.
“This reaffirms our commitment to drive growth of the Sports Direct brand internationally and marks a significant step forward in our ambition to becoming the leading global sporting goods retailer.”
