A leading British cycling brand founded by ex-professional cyclist Yanto Barker in 2011.
Overview
In 2018, Puma Funds deployed £2.4 million to support Le Col’s growth plans. Following the company’s continued strong performance, Puma has made further investments, bringing the total amount invested up to £14.4 million. This has enabled Le Col’s expansion into major new markets such as Germany and the US.
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About Le Col
Le Col has a very clear ambition to be the pre-eminent performance cycling apparel company in the world.
In 2018, Puma Funds invested £2.35 million to support Le Col’s initial growth plans, and following continued strong performance, a further £2.5 million was invested in 2019. In 2022, additional investment of £9.5 million was provided to fuel the company’s overseas expansion, as well as its sales and marketing efforts, which have significantly raised the brand’s profile over the last two years.
The company’s view
Yanto Barker, Founder of Le Col“Le Col has always been agile and fleet of foot – constantly exploring new ways of doing things. This is a key business strength and one that has allowed us to accelerate our growth in recent times. It is clear from what we are seeing across our core markets that the economic climate has taken a remarkable turn with pressure coming from general inflation, interest rate increases and high energy prices.
“We need to ensure our business is in a strong position to enable us to weather such changes. Our most recent investment by Puma Funds enables us to transition to a more efficient operational model: one that will help to solidify our position and enable us to act nimbly in what is fast becoming a volatile operating market. It will also enable us to continue making strategic investments that support our growth plan.”
Our view
“Le Col is a best-in-class provider of cycling apparel, and we are committed to providing it with the necessary capital and strategic support to enable the business to continue to scale. We are impressed with the way in which it has navigated significant growth challenges, and we are working closely with the team on its amazing journey.”
Harriet Rosethorn, Investment Director at Puma Growth Partners Performance metrics
Online sales
online sales have quadrupled on average, year-on-year, since 2017
Revenues
revenues doubled during the first investment period
