Gresvig AS, a leading sports retailer in Norway, will consolidate its stores under the Intersport brand and build a closer partnership with Intersport International, the world’s leading sporting goods retailer.
“We are happy to announce our new brand strategy and to expand our commercial cooperation with Intersport International. The sports business is changing fundamentally as the leading sports equipment brands are increasingly focusing on direct sales through owned channels, and sales through a limited number of preferred retail partners. Intersport is the world’s leading sporting goods retailer. By rebranding to Intersport, we ensure that our customers will have market-leading access to the top brands they love,” said Lars Kristian Lindberg, CEO of Gresvig AS.
Intersport International has over the past 50 years developed into the world’s largest sporting goods retailer, with retail sales of EUR 11.6 billion in 2018 and more than 5,500 affiliated stores in 43 countries. Currently, Gresvig operates stores under the G-Sport, G-MAX and Sportshuset Outlet brands, in addition to the Intersport brand. Under the new strategy, all stores will use the Intersport brand. The dedicated outlet channel Sportshuset Outlet will be rebranded to Intersport Outlet. The process will start immediately, but most store will be rebranded during the first half of 2020.
“The rebranding to Intersport creates exciting opportunities for Gresvig, Intersport and most importantly, our customers. We firmly believe in the chosen strategy and the ability of the company’s management to execute it, said Olav Nils Sunde, Chairman of the Board of Gresvig AS.
As part of the new strategy, a number of Intersport flagship stores will be established in Norway’s major urban areas.
“We will take the customer experience in our stores to a new level, while also embracing online sales in an integrated omnichannel strategy. We believe this change is important to our continued improvement and growth, representing an exciting next step towards our long-term ambition to establish Gresvig as Norway’s leader in sports,” said Lindberg.
The new strategy for Gresvig also includes closer cooperation with Intersport International in several business aspects such as omni-channel sales, supply chain and loyalty program. In addition, closer cooperation is planned at the Nordic level.
“The Nordic countries are important to Intersport International. We are very pleased to be able to deepen and extend our long-standing relationship with Gresvig in Norway, based on our Intersport 2.0 group strategy, which includes key initiatives such as multi-channel retailing, new store concept, implementation of category management and reinforcing of the private label business,” said Steve Evers, CEO of Intersport International Corporation GmbH.
“We are looking forward to working together with Gresvig in this strategic and commercial partnership, bringing more and even better sporting goods to the Norwegian people,” Evers added.
