Golf apparel brand Bunker Mentality is set to expand internationally with the addition of serial entrepreneur Alan Hardy, who owns The Nottinghamshire Golf and Country Club, to the board of directors as chairman.
The business, based in Cropwell Bishop, Nottinghamshire, began life back in 2005 and has built a loyal following amongst golf fanatics here in the UK. Now, the founding team behind the brand, Robert Hart and Tamasine Green will work with Alan Hardy, who also owns Paragon Interiors Group Plc (amongst 11 other businesses), to scale up activities and take advantage of the power of British brands across the globe.
“We’re more Beckham than Ballesteros, (although Seve is our all-time favourite),” explains Robert Hart at Bunker Mentality, who include tour player Simon Dyson as one of their brand ambassadors. “Bunker Mentality is a brand for golf addicts, people with a love of the great game and who think a little differently.
“Our clothing is designed without compromise for a player who has an individual personality and lifestyle and is looking for a new level of taste and substance in golf apparel. Our love of the great game means everything we do is designed to celebrate the game and encourage more people to take part. Bunker Mentality is a reflection of our own and our customers’ golf lifestyle and crucially, their ‘mentality’. It’s great to have Alan joining the team as he has a lot of experience in building businesses to scale and helping them to reach their potential, especially by opening up new markets.”
With business brisk in sports retailers and golf shops and a growing customer base buying direct online, the time was right to seek investment and expertise. Alan Hardy had stocked the brand at The Nottinghamshire for some time and after “falling in love” with the brand, offered to help them take the next step.
“They say that if you are going to get involved in a business or an investment it should be something that you know about and are passionate about. I’m a golf nut and totally in tune with the brand’s ‘bunker mentality’. I love that message! We’ve stocked their products for a long time and they are very popular, especially as they are a local business.
“However, we know that the market for British brands is huge abroad, especially in the Far East. I’ve invested and joined the business to bring my experience in growing businesses and helping them to scale up. We’re in talks with various potential overseas partners and I am now examining the feasibility of a trade mission to Japan and Far East, to help us to develop key relationships and partnerships.
British bands have an incredible cache abroad and I want to get us into a position where we can be a part of the UK’s export success story. These are exciting times and I cannot wait to get started working with Rob, Tamasine and our rapidly growing team.”
The business, which currently employ 8 people expects to recruit 5 people immediately and a further dozen during the next 24 months. The initial roles that are being created are in digital media, marketing and merchandising.
Bunker Mentality www.bunker-mentality.com