Acai gets funding injection for expansion

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Jan 11, 2023

UK female-centric outdoor clothing brand ACAI Outdoorwear has secured £3 million in further investment to accelerate both domestic and international growth. The investment will also support the launch of new products and expansion from its direct-to-consumer channel.

Founded in 2016 by designer and entrepreneur Kasia Bromley and her husband Joe, the business has experienced “exceptional growth’ with ACAI doubling revenue each year since inception, it told The BusinessDesk.

Creative director Bromley has developed a brand with designs that are “flattering and empowering” to the female form while including water resistant and thermal technical aspects. Led by hero product the Skinny Outdoor trouser, the brand has expanded to include outdoor leggings, tops, accessories, jackets, hoodies and mid-layers.

Investment in its management team has seen Joe step down as CEO and the recruitment of Richard Leedham, former Berghaus CEO and Pentland Group executive board member, to lead the next phase of growth.

The new backing has been provided by Growth Partner, which now has a minority stake in the business, and supported by HomeServe founder and CEO Richard Harpin, who will add strategic insight, expertise in international expansion and scaling multi-channel consumer businesses to the retailer.

Growth Partner investment director, James Worrall said: “ACAI operates in the outdoorwear market which has experienced significant growth but is yet to be disrupted by a direct-to-consumer, female-first challenger brand. ACAI has successfully created a community of highly engaged brand ambassadors where [it] is more than a product, it is a brand that is empowering women to be active outdoors.”

ACAI’s previous investor, DSW Ventures, will be exiting, having supported the business since October 2019.