A Powerful Consortium Steps Forward to Save and Elevate Iconic French Sports Brand
Group Intending to Purchase Sports Apparel Manufacturer Le Coq Sportif, Based in France - Group planning to purchase French sportswear label Le Coq Sportif
Le Coq Sportif, the sports brand with a 19th-century legacy and a rooster emblem, has a new shot at glory. A consortium with ambitious goals aims to reinvent this iconic French label and set its sights internationally, while maintaining a foothold in Romilly and job opportunities for its 300 employees in France.
The rebranding venture is backed by a 51% investment from Neopar, a firm that specializes in corporate turnarounds. Also on board are a group of investors, including sports personalities and ex-Le Coq Sportif executives, and the American group Iconix—known for brands like Umbro and Lee Cooper—who hold 22.5% of the consortium.
According to Les Echos, another contender bidding for Le Coq Sportif is French-Swiss entrepreneur Dan Mamane. The brand is carrying debts of roughly 60 to 70 million euros to public authorities.
This consortium brings together some notable players. Neopar is owned by the Poitrinal family, and their investment in the consortium signals their confidence in reviving the brand. Joining them are French telecom billionaire Xavier Niel and other investors, sportspeople, and former Le Coq Sportif executives who together hold 26.5% of the consortium.
The strategy for Le Coq Sportif targets its roots as an "accessible and popular" brand, and plans to refresh and expand the label on the global stage with substantial financial resources. While specifics on job retention have not been disclosed, the consortium's considerable investment and commitment to restoring the brand suggest an intention to preserve employment in France, particularly in Paris. The brand's historical importance as the supplier for the French delegation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games lends further weight to this commitment.
The consortium, led by Neopar, a firm known for corporate turnarounds, aims to rebrand and expand Le Coq Sportif, a French sports brand, overseas while preserving jobs in France. The venture is supported by sports personalities, ex-Le Coq Sportif executives, and Iconix, a group that also manages Umbro and Lee Cooper brands, highlighting the financial resources and expertise in sports business and finance available to the consortium.
