Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, February 1, 2022. The Gran Fondo National Series announces: Suarez will be the title sponsor of the largest amateur endurance series in the USA for the next two years. This is the Colombian brand’s most significant move into the North American market to date.
The deal
Suarez supplies custom kits for the age group winners at all eight series stops, a commemorative jersey for all participants in the US Gran Fondo National Championship and a series kit that is freely available. The series reaches over 5,000 participants on site and tens of thousands online.
“When cyclists see, touch, and experience Suarez apparel they immediately recognize the craftsmanship that goes into every garment,” says founder Carlos Suárez. The sentence sounds like PR, but it hits the nail on the head: Suarez is hardly known in the USA. Anyone who touches the stuff will notice the difference to standard event clothing.
Strategy
The partnership is no coincidence. Suarez has over 20 years of experience in the production of competition clothing and 16 years as the official supplier of the Colombian national team. What is missing is visibility outside South America. Gran Fondos are the ideal channel: ambitious amateurs who are willing to invest in good equipment — and recognize the quality when they wear it.
In the USA, Cento Cycling from Portland distributes the Suarez collection. The title sponsorship complements this distribution channel with direct product contact.
Assessment
The US market is dominated by established brands such as Castelli, Assos and Rapha. Suarez has neither their marketing budget nor their brand awareness. What Suarez does have: competitive quality at lower prices and an authentic cycling story. The next two years will show whether this is enough to gain a foothold in the USA.