Mountain equipment: Calida wants to sell Lafuma and Millet

After the termination of the Killy license and the sales of Oxbow and Eider in 2020, the Swiss holding company Calida has decided to separate from its mountain sports equipment and clothing division, Millet Mountain Group. It brings together the Millet and Lafuma brands and employs 200 people in Annecy.

Calida, which set up this outdoor division in 2013, now announces that it wants to refocus on its core business of lingerie, including the Aubade brand. However, he keeps Lafuma Mobilier, based in Anneyron in the Drome, (140 employees) which shows a 20% increase in activity. The same is not true for Millet Mountain Group, which saw its sales decrease by 23.6% to 78.2 million euros (-19.1% at constant exchange rates).

“The planned sale of the Millet Mountain Group is the logical step in optimizing Calida's business model,” said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, Chairman of the Board of Calida, which aims to improve its profitability.

Rental, used

Millet is positioned on mountaineering and verticality and Lafuma on trekking and hiking. The appointment as CEO last December of Romain Millet, grandson of the founder, was interpreted as an attempt to make the brands more attractive through the launch of a greener strategy. To satisfy customers “more sensitive to the protection of nature”, Romain Millet wants Lafuma to be 100% eco-responsible in 2023, and Millet in 2025.

To this end, Millet had to explore new economic models such as “upcycling”, that is to say the transformation of a product already used to give it a second life. The rental and sale of second-hand Lafuma products are also envisaged. Finally, Romain Millet wanted to “produce as close as possible to consumers”. This is how the group entered into an agreement with the Rhône-Alpes Chamatex to manufacture mid-height sports shoes, intended for brisk walking.