Under Armour announces ambitious UK expansion plans
Under Armour will open three new brand-owned stores in key cities throughout the UK over the next couple of months, following significant growth and consumer demand in the market.
The stores are part of Under Armour’s overall strategy to strengthen its direct-to-consumer channel, a key element of the brand’s new growth plan in the UK and wider EMEA region.
The retail stores will use Under Armour’s new cutting edge city concept. For example, the Battersea Power Station location will feature a performance centre facility where athletes can receive next-level training, physiological assessments and performance guidance from the UA Athlete Performance Team.
In keeping with its obsession with helping athletes to level up, the final concept will feature performance products across popular co-gender train and run collections such as RUSH, Iso-Chill, HOVR, FLOW, and many more. For Under Armour, “every new store is an opportunity to push athletes further, showing them what it takes to be the best”.
The plans are a testament to Under Armour’s rapid expansion across EMEA since establishing a presence in the market just over a decade ago. Under Armour’s EMEA revenue at the end of its latest financial year is 60 per cent larger than pre-pandemic levels. This makes EMEA the fastest growing Under Armour region globally.
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of an exciting next chapter for Under Armour in the UK. Responding to a rapid growth in both consumer demand and sales, we’re delighted to announce the opening of a series of retail stores in some of the most iconic retail locations in the country. This direct-to-consumer approach will enhance our holistic market approach – which includes our important wholesale partners – and further strengthen Under Armour’s consumer experience.
“We support athletes to become better, and find that grit, determination, and hard work lead to true success. This move is only the beginning of our commitment and investment in the EMEA region, and we’re looking forward to continuing this incredible journey in the coming years,” said Kara Trent, Managing Director EMEA at Under Armour.
Under Armour’s new BHCCs will be in the following locations and will open:
- Liverpool ONE, Liverpool: February 2023
- Battersea Power Station, London: February 2023
- Stratford Westfield, London: March 2023
“With this announcement, we are keen to stay true to what an Under Armour retail visit should be: living up to our promise of delivering an experience and products that make athletes better,” said Olivier Genoud, VP of Direct To Consumer EMEA at Under Armour.
He continued, “With our mission ‘Under Armour makes you better’ in mind, we are constantly striving to offer an elevated brand experience on the shopfloor. One example of this in the recently opened Amsterdam store is the connected fitting rooms, which allow the shopper to learn more about the benefits of the product they’re trying on via the use of an interactive screen.”
To raise awareness and drive traffic to these new store openings, Under Armour is executing a major outdoor advertising campaign ‘Gear up to Grind’ in the key city areas around the stores to engage their target audience.
The news comes following the announcement of a new CEO and in October 2022 the brand unveiling its new city concept store in Amsterdam, where its EMEA headquarters are located.
