Welly manufacturer the perfect fit for French buyer

Lincolnshire wellie brand Evercreatures has been bought by French footwear company Rouchette as part of a deal for its parent company Astbury Collections.

It is a first overseas purchase for the French company, which had previously been a supplier to Evercreatures.

The purchase of the Alford-based business will bring inward investment of up to £500,000 from Rouchette as it looks to bolster its presence in the UK.

Tony Bailey, a co-director of Astbury Collections, will join Rouchette as its sales and marketing director in the UK.

He said: “This is a great deal for both brands. Rouchette want to expand faster into the UK and approached us last year about a sale to use the infrastructure already in place.

“Now the deal has been completed, it will see considerable investment in new products, innovation, infrastructure and staff.

“For current UK customers, they will see the benefit with a new range of stock and new designs for Evercreatures.

“I am already engaged in talks with major retailers, predominantly garden centre chains, who are looking to secure stock in 2024.”

Evercreatures was founded in 2004 and has wellies for men, women and children as well as a range of accessories.

Rouchette, which is known for its robust rubber footwear in a range of designs for the garden, maritime and lifestyle sectors, was established in 1990 by Jean-Louis Rouchette.

Sébastien Rouchette, managing director and son of the founder, said: “I’m proud to announce our first overseas acquisition with the purchase of Astbury Collections and its flagship rain boot brand Evercreatures.

“It was quite natural for is to buy a well-known brand in the world of footwear. This is a new stage in the company’s life, which promises to be an exciting and extremely rewarding project.”