DISTRIBUTOR
that journey with us as we grow Deuter in the minds of UK cyclists. We continually receive great feedback on people’s experiences with the brand and the products, whether that’s a new backpack, or one they’ve been using for 20 years. As sustainability rightly becomes an increasingly important part of people’s purchasing decisions, we want to tell the story of the deep-rooted commitment within Deuter to operate in the most socially and environmentally responsible way possible.”
Economic uncertainty MBC has increased its focus on the cycling sector at a time of great upheaval, both for the industry and for the wider world. The hangover from the
coronavirus pandemic, combined with the ongoing effects of the war in Ukraine, and a growing cost of living crisis in the UK, makes for an uncertain outlook for cycling brands and retailers. However, MBC and Aitken are hoping that the resilience
of the cycling market will shine through: “There has been a huge amount of work put into recovering from the implications of the pandemic at a production level. Together with Deuter we’ve been forward planning for SS23 for a long time now, and we’re in a strong position in that respect. That’s in part thanks to the long standing and mutually exclusive partnership with our production partner and a huge effort there to not only recover but significantly grow production to cope with demand. “Of course, the impact of national and global events are
creating uncertainty when we think about our disposable income, and this is understandably impacting the confidence of some retailers. However, it’s been proven during the toughest of times early in the pandemic that the outdoor and cycle industries are resilient in the face of such adversity and not only do these activities remain an important part of people’s lives but evidently become even more crucial to physical and mental wellbeing. So far, we’ve continued to see this being the case during this cost-of-living crisis.”
The brands MBC’s biggest offering to the cycle trade is Deuter backpacks, which has 135 years of experience making packs
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MBC HQ in Newcastle
and luggage, and 33 years in the cycle sector. The distributor aims to reintroduce Deuter to the bike
market in the UK, with the aim of highlighting its quality range of products, and the importance of bike-specific backpacks for both comfort and practicality for riders. Meanwhile Sea to Summit, which specialises in camping
gear, offers bikepacking specific equipment like sleep systems and, new for 2023, a bikepacking tent that packs into two custom fork bags. Aitken said: “We’re still in the early stages of working in the bike industry, so the focus is on building those relationships with our customers and working with the right new partners as we grow. We’re a flexible and dynamic business so will continue to understand how best to serve our customers in the bike industry and improve how we do so. “We’ll continue to build Deuter in the right way. To some extent this is a reintroduction of a brand that a lot of mountain bike riders know and love because of the significant history in the sport and well-known quality, they simply haven’t seen us around for several years, but the brand and range is stronger than ever. The brand holds an incredibly strong position in many other European countries, so we’ll be working towards replicating that in the UK alongside growing the range of events and riders we support with both Deuter and Sea to Summit.” ●
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