It wasn’t all that long ago that Vista Outdoor bought the Bell, Giro, and Blackburn brands as a package deal in 2016. Now, Vista Outdoor has announced that they plan to undergo a “strategic business transformation” which may include the sale of those same Bell, Giro, and Blackburn brands.
After the most recent mass school shooting in Florida, Vista Outdoor’s ties to the NRA and the fact that supposedly more than 50% of their business is derived from the sale of firearms and ammunition caused a public fallout that included a consumer boycott and suspended orders from REI and MEC. While the press release says nothing about the controversy surrounding the Vista Outdoor parent company, it would be hard to imagine that it didn’t at least play a small part in the decision.
Vista Outdoor says that they will refocus on product categories that are more in line with their company’s core and will “focus on achieving growth through its market-leading brands in ammunition, hunting and shooting accessories, hydration bottles and packs, and outdoor cooking products.” That sentence makes it sound like CamelBak and Camp Chef aren’t going anywhere, but that makes sense given CamelBak’s military business, and both brands’ general appeal to outdoor enthusiasts.
As for brands like Bell, Giro, Blackburn, Jimmy Styks paddle board, and Savage and Stevens firearms? Vista Outdoor says that they will “explore strategic options” for the brands, and that while the portfolio reshaping will begin immediately, they plan to have their plan executed by the end of fiscal 2020.
