New success story in the Catalan startup ecosystem linked to the e-commerce business. Ten years after its foundation and after a brilliant 2020 financial year as a result of the pandemic, Deporvillage has been acquired by one of the largest global groups of specialized chains in the sale of fashion and all kinds of sports equipment. This is the British multinational JD Sports, which has bought 80% of the capital of the Catalan company through Iberian Sports Retail Group (ISRG), a joint venture with the Portuguese group Sonae that also integrates the Sprinter and Sport Zone brands.
With a network of more than 2,400 stores worldwide, JD Sports, in turn, is part of the British Pentland Group, owned by the Rubin family and which controls other emblematic sports brands such as Speedo, Ellesse and Endura.
According to ISRG, this operation creates "the multichannel leader" in the sale of sports equipment in the Iberian Peninsula, as Deporvillage's online business will be combined with the extensive network of physical stores of the JD Sports, Sprinter and Sport Zone chains. "We will offer consumers the best multi-brand and omnichannel sports equipment shopping experience on the market," highlights Miguel Mota, general director of ISRG.
JD Sports controls 50% of ISRG and the other half of the capital is distributed between the Portuguese conglomerate Sonae, which contributes the Sport Zone brand, and the Segarra family, co-founder of Sprinter, a chain born in Elche. The three brands add up to 360 points of sale and a turnover of 645 million in 2020, a figure they expect to raise to 900 million this year thanks to Deporvillage.
Based in Manresa and with a staff of more than one hundred employees, Deporvillage was founded by Xavier Pladellorens and Ángel Corcuera, entrepreneurs who will retain 20% of the company's capital. ISRG has paid 140 million euros for 80% of Deporvillage, shares that would have been acquired from the investors who have accompanied the company in its growth plan, such as Grupo Mediaset, SeedRocket, the investor Cabiedes & Partners, the Italian P101 and the Samaipata fund, among others.
The rise of online commerce as a result of the pandemic doubled the Catalan company's turnover in 2020, which recorded sales of 117.8 million euros thanks to orders received from customers located in more than one hundred countries. Its pre-tax profit rose to 7.7 million.
"For us, the incorporation into ISRG represents a new milestone; a very important step with which we hope to contribute our digital knowledge to the group and, at the same time, take advantage of the capabilities and opportunities that belonging to a group led by JD Sports offers us," explains Pladellorens, CEO of the portal specialized in the sale of articles for cycling, running, triathlon, fitness and outdoor sports.
The British group JD Sports invoiced 7.110 million euros in 2020, with earnings of more than 260 million. The multinational is immersed in an ambitious acquisition race, especially in the United States.