French footwear giant Chaussea has acquired Kickers, as the brand’s former parent, the Royer Group, is moving to liquidate.

Royer Group filed for bankruptcy protection last October in the Rennes Commercial Court and was placed into court-ordered liquidation last week. Royer had indicated that the loss of the New Balance license for France, Germany and Benelux significantly hurt its business.

Royer also held licenses for Umbro, Freegun and Dim, as well as the children’s brands Aster and Mod8. The company acquired Kickers in 2007. Pentland Brands has held the UK license for Kickers’ footwear, clothing and accessories since 1988.

Royer’s liquidation is expected to result in the loss of 135 jobs unrelated to the Kickers’ business. Chaussea will reportedly retain Kickers’ 45 employees.

Chaussea said in a statement, “We are proud to announce the acquisition of the Royer Group and to welcome 45 new employees to the Chaussea journey. Beyond growth, this transaction marks, above all, a new stage in the group’s diversification. After San Marina, for its natural elegance, and Pataugas, an iconic walking companion, we are delighted to welcome Kickers to our brand portfolio. An authentic, free-spirited and non-conformist brand, it will enable us to strengthen our children’s range and accelerate the development of our B2B business across all distribution channels,” the company said in a statement.

Chaussea added, “To support this ambition, the acquisition also equips us with a new logistics platform, a key lever to underpin the growth of this activity. This momentum reflects a clear ambition: to gradually build a true brands division within the group, complementing our distribution network. For over 40 years, our guiding principle has remained the same: to offer fashion, choice and the best value for money to as many people as possible. Welcome to the teams joining us and thank you to everyone who keeps the passion for footwear alive every day.”

According to the latest available data, Chaussea recorded revenue of €618 million ($841 mm) in 2024, with a network of 650 stores and 4,500 employees.

Image courtesy Kickers