Clearwater International advises Golf Experten on its sale to Röko

Clearwater International has advised Golf Experten, the leading Danish retailer in golf equipment and apparel, on the majority sale to the Swedish investment company, Röko.

Founded in 1993, Golf Experten has built as an omnichannel concept, selling over 4,000 different products from established golf brands through its online and physical stores. Golf Experten has seen strong growth since 2018, and has doubled its revenue through a combination of organic and acquisitive growth supported by the acquisition of the competitor Pro Golf Scandinavia in 2018, which Golf Experten has been able to merge and integrate successfully in the business.

In 2020 the popularity of golf in Denmark grew with more than 6,000 players taking up the sport since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This sport has allowed people to stay active in the open air despite the restrictions, that otherwise affected sports and leisure. The trend has pushed the already strong growth in a very positive direction – a trend set to continue in 2021.

Golf Experten operates with a strong omnichannel-approach, which ensures that customers can get what they want, when they want it. This approach contributes to a very high level of customer loyalty and customer satisfaction, which is supported by loyalty programs, a comprehensive customer club with more than 80,000 members, and finally professionally trained staff across their retail stores.

Röko is a Swedish investment company that invests in stable and profitable companies with strong market positions in their respective niche markets. Röko’s investment philosophy is predicated on true long-term ownership, independent governance, and proven ability to achieve results. Röko has acquired 80% of the shares in Golf Experten, while management will retain 20% ownership in the business.

sold to

Sell-side

Undisclosed
Clearwater Advisers
Adviser to Golf Experten on its sale to Röko
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We highly recommend Clearwater International, with whom we have had a splendid collaboration. The team has been highly professional and persistent in getting the relevant information from us – pushing us in a positive way when needed. Towards the end, it has made the process easier for us given that all the relevant information was already there. From the very first meeting we have had good chemistry; thus, the collaboration has been pleasant and energetic all the way through the process. Very early on in the process, Clearwater International identified around 50 potential buyers through their large international network of contacts, and we have ended up with a very good match with Scandinavian Röko that fits our development and complements our focus on speciality business. We look forward to our future with them.

Kim Johansen, CEO, Golf Experten

It has been a great pleasure and very impressive to work with a company that is able to exploit an omnichannel strategy to the extent Golf Experten has, reaching a position as market leader through a successful acquisition of a competitor. During the last year we have experienced a strong demand for attractive consumer-oriented companies from financial investors. Companies that have achieved an impressive growth in the market through customer engagement – either digitally or through an omnichannel strategy.

Jakob Tolstrup Kristensen, Partner, Clearwater International

Clearwater Advisers

Jakob Tolstrup Kristensen
Jakob Tolstrup Kristensen Partner

+45 51 90 86 69 Email
Casper Norre
Casper Norre Associate Partner

+45 22 95 33 00 Email
Rasmus Østergaard
Rasmus Ostergaard Associate Director

+45 20 71 41 78 Email
Rune Tornsberg
Rune Tornsberg Senior Associate

+45 30 35 32 20 Email

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Clearwater International advises Golf Experten on its sale to Röko

Clearwater Advisers

Jakob Tolstrup Kristensen

Casper Norre

Rasmus Østergaard

Rune Tornsberg