OR says Minneapolis debut 'shows progress'
Organisers of US trade show Outdoor Retailer have announced that 1,800 attendees, 275 brands and 150-plus media and creators from 20 countries attended the first iteration of the event in Minneapolis.
Matthew Mathiasen, show director at OR, said: “Moving a legacy event to a new city while navigating significant change is no small undertaking.”
Founder-led brands were a significant presence at the show, with more than 150 brands represented through the Ascent Program, Garage Grown Gear, Founded Outdoors and REI Path Ahead Ventures.
Garage Grown Gear and Founded Outdoors also debuted the inaugural Ascent Summit, bringing together 75 up-and-coming founders for workshops and peer-led sessions focused on scaling, retail distribution and brand growth.
Roberto Gutierrez, director of brand marketing for Backcountry, said: “Footprints and quantity of people don’t explain that there is a heartbeat in the show that hasn’t been here for at least seven years. Outdoor Retailer focusing on the emerging brands makes a ton of sense. I love the fact that it’s more of a discovery engine as it once was.”
Lindsay Hubley, senior vice president of the sports and outdoor division, added: “Rebuilding the show meant asking the industry to believe again, one courageous yes at a time. In Minneapolis, brands could launch products, reach more than 20 million followers through structured creator matching, meet with Backcountry and REI buying teams, access more than 400 specialty retail accounts and leave with a content library – all in three days. Was it perfect? No show ever is. But it was progress. It was energy. It was a community deciding Outdoor Retailer’s story isn’t finished.”
