Authentic sells half of Hunter equity interest to Chinese firm

Baozun, a Shanghai-based e-commerce partner, has acquired a 51 percent equity interest in footwear and lifestyle brand Hunter's Greater China and Southeast Asia business through a deal with the Wellington boot maker’s owner, Authentic Brands Group.

The brand development and marketing platform established a joint venture with Baozun that would see the Chinese firm oversee the brand’s interests in Greater China and Southeast Asia via a newly created Authentic subsidiary, ABG Hunter LLC.

Authentic’s chairman and CEO, Jamie Salter, said that the move fell in line with the group’s strategy to “think global and act local”, a concept evident in its typical business model through which its owned brands are distributed and licensed to local partners.

For Hunter, this also includes an exclusive, long-term licensing agreement that allows Baozun to design, manufacture, market and distribute Hunter brand products in Greater China.

In a release, Vincent Qui, chairman and CEO of Baozun, said: “We are excited to share our recent partnership with Authentic Brands Group, a leading global brand management company that owns a large portfolio of more than 50 brands, including many iconic and world-renowned lifestyle brands.

“This marks another milestone in our transformation where all three business lines will cooperate together to deliver an extraordinary suite of services to leading global brand companies in China and other Asian markets.”