Rebel retail: Super revamp

After striking a $610million deal to buy the leading sports apparel company in October, bosses at the Super Retail Group later admitted they had their sights set on Rebel for the last couple of years.

Market leader Rebel will form part of the group’s large portfolio which is made up of Supercheap Auto, Boating Camping and Fishing, Goldcross Cycles and Ray’s Outdoors.

The group’s managing director Peter Birtles told Ragtrader detailed discussions began in June as Rebel was deemed to be consistent with the group’s strategy of expanding into adjacent leisure retail businesses.

“Super Retail Group’s mission is to provide products, information and services to help our customers make the most of their passions and we see the Rebel business fitting very well into our group,” Birtles said.

Rebel, which is owned by Archer Capital and employs 3,000 people, started up in Sydney in 1985 and sells sporting and leisure equipment, apparel and footwear.

Birtles, who says the group has the expertise to accelerate Rebel’s growth and store roll-out, said it was not appropriate to discuss at such an early stage as to whether any jobs would go, but said the company does have a new management structure in mind.

When asked about new apparel lines he said a key feature of the business model was to continually refresh the customer offer and they would be looking at developing this.

“We will be exploring these opportunities at Rebel and we do plan to refurbish a number of stores,” Birtles said.
“We also see opportunities to leverage Super Retail Group’s supply chain to support the Rebel business.”

The acquisition includes 90 Rebel Sport stores, 36 Amart stores and two Performance Sports stores.

Pippa Chambers