By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Authentic Brands Group and Orbico Group have signed a long-term collaborative partnership to expand the Champion lifestyle brand across EMEA.
The announcement of this new long-term partnership follows Authentic’s recent acquisition of the Champion athletic-wear brand.
The acquisition agreement went into effect on September 30, 2024.
“Champion is a powerhouse in Europe, with an established business and a deeply loyal following,” said Authentic regional president Henry Stupp. “From the moment we acquired the brand, Europe was central to our strategy, and identifying the right partner to drive its growth was critical.
“Orbico emerged as the strong choice, thanks to their unparalleled expertise and proven success with world-class brands,” added Stupp. “This partnership represents a bold step forward in Champion’s journey, and we’re confident that together, we will elevate the brand’s presence across EMEA, delivering on its legacy and making it a modern symbol of innovation and sports style.”
Effective for 10 years with options for further extension, the licensing agreement between Orbico and Authentic names Orbico as an official partner for the Champion brand across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The agreement also allows Orbico to acquire the legal entities and retail store locations for the brand’s Champion Europe branch.
Champion Europe is currently available in 36 different countries in the EMEA region with over 90 retail store locations.
Under the terms of the agreement, Orbico will leverage its expertise in distributing global brands to further expand Champion’s business across several key European markets.
“We’ve known the Authentic team for many years, and when the opportunity to take on Champion came up, it just made sense to do this together,” said Orbico Group CBO, Edward Malky.
“This partnership marks a significant milestone for Orbico as we expand into the sports style category on a larger scale. Champion is a brand with an incredible legacy, and we’re excited to use our expertise to help it grow even stronger,” added Malky. “Together with Authentic, we’re ready to make Champion the go-to sportswear brand for future generations, bringing its heritage and innovation to more people than ever before.”
Founded in 1987, Orbico Group is a European distribution company that specializes in partnering with global brands across multiple business sectors and product categories.
This includes categories such as sports, fashion, beauty, FMCG, salon professionals, lifestyle, tourism and more.
In recent years, Orbico has focused on operating in the sports fashion category through exclusive distribution partnerships with footwear brands like Converse, Dr. Martens, Merrell and more.
Authentic Brands Group is a global unified platform that offers services like marketing, licensing, advertising, creative development and digital content initiatives to expand its broad portfolio of sports, lifestyle, entertainment and media brands.
Authentic’s collection of brands are currently available in 150 countries around the world.