Chinese alternative asset manager CPE's recent acquisition of Swiss outdoor brand Mammut Sports Group AG highlights a growing trend: Chinese investors are increasingly buying global consumer brands.
Announced on July 30, the deal ends a three-year transformation period under Jacobs Capital, which acquired Mammut in 2021, and prepared the company for its next phase of growth.
During Jacobs' ownership, Mammut improved its financial performance significantly, the company said. Revenue grew at a double-digit compound annual rate, markets outside Europe accounted for more than half of sales, and operating profit margins more than doubled.
"We see substantial opportunities to continue growing the brand further internationally," CEO Heiko Schafer said. He added that CPE was selected as a long-term partner to support the company's global expansion while preserving the brand's heritage and identity.
For CPE, the acquisition adds another consumer brand to its growing portfolio. The China-based alternative asset manager has invested in companies including Mixue Group, Laopu Gold and Pop Mart, and earlier this year it acquired control of Burger King China.
