Snow Peak recently acquired a majority share in Swift Fly Fishing and announced that the business is now a subsidiary.
Founded in 1958, Snow Peak is a Japanese camping and hiking equipment manufacturer offering experiences that bring the “outdoors into everyday life.”
“We are thrilled to bring Swift Fly Fishing and the Epic Fly Rod brand into the Snow Peak family,” said Tohru Yamai, Snow Peak CEO and chairman of the Board. “I’ve been fly fishing my entire life, and Epic products are the best gear I’ve ever seen. This union beautifully blends our passion for camping with Swift’s artistry in fly fishing, further extending our mission to connect humans with nature’s rhythms. We look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead as we deepen our investment in the fly fishing market.”
Founded by Carl McNeil and Jeanie Ackley, Swift Fly Fishing, headquartered in Wanaka, New Zealand, manufactures the Epic Fly Rod brand that uses graphite, graphene, and Epic’s proprietary “Fast Glass” composite material to create the rods.
“While we will remain heavily influenced by our New Zealand heritage, the new relationship with Snow Peak will allow us to extend our fly fishing offerings and expand globally,” said McNeil. “New Zealand is the perfect laboratory to design and develop world-class fly fishing equipment; we’re extremely excited about what’s on the horizon.”
Beyond its product line, Swift Fly Fishing will expand into experiential adventure tours that merge travel, accommodation, dining, and fly fishing experiences in collaboration with the global fly fishing community.
Through the acquisition, Snow Peak aims to integrate Swift’s Epic brand technologies into its offerings that combine camping and fly fishing.