SPOTLIGHT | AVOCET GROUP
Skyway’s the limit
Avocet has seen its sales soar like the proverbial rocket, and now offers e-bikes, BMX, 29ers and bamboo bikes alongside more conventional fare. Jonathon Harker gets to grips with the expanding portfolio…
COYOTE SPORTS, an Avocet Group operation, has had an impressive 2011. The firm says it has seen sales growth of over 100 per cent, all the while keeping a first pick record of around 95 per cent throughout the year. That success is due in part to an expansion
in range, so it’s no surprise Coyote is plotting more of the same in 2012. Already handling the Skyway brand for Europe, Coyote will be taking on a small range of Skyway BMX bikes for 2012.
The wider Avocet Group is no stranger to BMX
either, having taken on Pilgrim and Blackeye through its BMX venture Kick Ass Sports. Avocet tells BikeBiz: “Any day now Kick Ass will be announcing a well-known BMX legend to head up this new venture and several of the UK’s prominent BMX specialist retailers have already committed to both brands.” The Pilgrim brand got a huge publicity boost
with Jed Milden performing the world’s first- ever triple back flip on his Pilgrim, which is doing the rounds on YouTube. There are 29ers on the way too, with the
company eager to be ready if the popularity of the genre in the US is replicated in the UK. Avocet tells BikeBiz what else it has planned
for 2012: “Our retro and heritage bike offering will be extended as our feedback suggests that these bikes brought new cyclists, especially females, into the market. “We are also piloting new Bamboo frames on bikes and as framesets targeting the eco warrior. It’s not a mass market, but interesting in it’s own right,” the firm admits. “The knots in Bamboo provide natural dampers and the ride is fantastic. It is stronger than most other frame materials and in fact bikes have been made using bamboo for over 100 years.”
20 BIKEBIZ DECEMBER Avocet is also at the advanced stages of
negotiations to acquire another well-known cycling brand to launch in May 2012. And next year will see the re-introduction of a tight range of Cross branded bikes in March 2012. Avocet is also plugging into the still-very-
“Our stocks for the all- important Christmas season are looking very good...”
promising e-bike market, currently offering three models under the Viking brand. This month sees the launch of the new Viking E-GO 20-inch wheel model (RRP £699). Glyn Nolan is Avocet’s resident e-bike expert, on call seven days a week for back-up service. Nolan insists on providing in-store training on first deliveries of all e-bikes, including the new range of premium German-built Panther bikes. Avocet’s flagship brand Viking celebrated its
Centenary year in 2008 and sales of its bicycles, tandems and adult trikes have experienced exponential growth in the last three years, says the firm. “Our volume BMX brand Rooster is now the
biggest selling BMX brand in Europe and is supported by the mid-priced Piranha range.” The Avocet portfolio also includes the Whistle range of upmarket road and MTB bikes – the old Colorado Riders from the seventies – that are made in the Bianchi factory. There’s also the Coyote range of MTB and action bikes, offering value for money mid-priced bikes, while at the budget end of the market is the Reflex label including ATB, folders, trekking, unicycles and tagalongs. Through Concept and Pedal Pals, Avocet supplies a full range of kids 12-20-inch wheel bikes plus a wide range of scooters, go-karts, trikes and balance. Value for money is central to Avocet’s kids offering. Besides bicycles and P&A Coyote offers a
range of sledges, scooters and the famous Gauswheel – plus snow shovels are also in stock
to bring in those extra winter sales. Avocet recently launched the Quadbike for kids too. Adding multiple new product lines and
successes have had an unwelcome side effect, but that’s now been overcome, Avocet tells BikeBiz: “At Avocet our growth is built on the back of support from our strong dealer network. The growth in sales in 2011 has brought with it a few problems, especially on the supply side. We have been starved of BMX and kids bikes for several months due to problems in establishing a new factory and for these supply issues we can only apologise. “Our stocks for the all-important Christmas sales season are currently very good across all seasonal lines.”
AVOCET GROUP CONTACTS
New Business: Wayne Clarke 01617274050 Marketing and Export: Andy Tiller 07531531325 Sales Orders: Dawn Fryer 01617274051 Denise High 01617274053 Kay Nelson 01617274052 Hannah Garvey 01617274054 Glyn Nolan (e-bikes) 07738740612 Coyote Sports accessories / aftermarket: Iain Pollitt-Walmsley 01617274058 Heather West (sales) 01617274056 Andy King (sales) 01617270133 General Company number: 01617278508 Consumer Website
www.avocetsports.com B2B Website
www.coyote-sports.com
BIKEBIZ.COM
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