Allbirds finalises distribution deals for Canada, South Korea

U.S. footwear firm Allbirds has finalised agreements with distributor partners in Canada and South Korea, as the sustainable brand shifts from a direct go-to-market model to third-party distribution, as part of its international growth.

The San Francisco-based company said has appointed In-Sport Fashions as its exclusive Canadian distributor, while EFG Corporation has been appointed exclusive distributor in South Korea. The company said it is continuing to explore distribution opportunities in other international geographies.

“We are pleased to be delivering another material proof point under our strategic transformation plan,” said Annie Mitchell, chief financial officer of Allbirds.

“We are looking forward to leveraging the regional knowledge and expertise of our new distributors as we focus on building scale and driving long term growth in key international markets. Importantly, this operating model will also enable us to reduce costs and improve profitability in these markets.”

Both In-Sport and EFG will oversee the distribution of Allbirds products across the retail, online and wholesale channels and will allocate dedicated brand and marketing resources to the partnership, in Canada and South Korea, respectively.

“It is a pleasure to collaborate with Allbirds,” said Karine Laforest and Andrew Nelson, co-owners of In-Sport.
“The brand’s unwavering focus on sustainability, combined with its knack for blending comfort with style, mirrors our own company ethos.”

“We aim to introduce brands that truly resonate with sustainability to the Korean market – I am incredibly proud that we will represent Allbirds, a perfect fit for the brands we aspire to partner with,” added Jeewoo Park, CEO at EFG.

Launching in San Francisco in 2016, Allbirds started out as a footwear brand using natural materials including merino wool from New Zealand. Since its inception, the brand has moved on to become a lifestyle brand with the creation of sustainability-focused apparel as well.