Acquisition news: The Finnish family company SGN Group has acquired 75% of the shares of the children’s clothing brand Metsola. Of the current owners, Riina and Heikki Pulkkinen will remain in the company with a 25% share. Metsola’s design is characterized by strong print patterns and durable materials, and the clothes are designed primarily for children. There is a demand for these insights outside Finland as well.
In 13 years, Metsola has grown from a backyard terrace company as a familiar and desired children’s clothing brand for Finns. Metsola has pioneered the rise of Finnish children’s clothing brands. Success has been built under the leadership of entrepreneur Riina Pulkkinen and her team, relying on strong prints and design that draws on nature, paying especially attention to the durability of clothing.
“At the heart of everything we’ve done, have been durable materials and strong prints that adults love, but which children always fall in love with first. It is important not to underestimate children, but they do not need to be dressed like adults. We also think that clothes must last, they must have value in use even after your own child grows out of them”, says Riina Pulkkinen, who is happy about the acquisition.
Stefan Nieminen, Executive Vice President of the new owner SGN Group, believes that there is a demand for these insights outside Finland as well. International growth is now at the heart of Metsola’s new strategy.
“We have been interested in Finnish design for a long time. Metsola’s realization that children’s clothing is designed not only to please adults but above all to please children is revolutionary and interesting outside Finland” says Nieminen.
Passion and broad shoulders in one package – in the search for stable growth, not quick wins with exit strategies
Metsola’s new home is in the Finnish family company SGN Group, which has been doing international trade for 88 years. The ownership strategy is to grow and keep, not to grow and sell.
“Above all, the owner must be a good owner. In this way, we can provide a home for domestic brands looking for the next growth leap. Founders can focus on the essential, i.e. the core of the brand, the soul and the creative design. Over the decades, we have accumulated deep commercial expertise in international trade, and in recent years we have begun to invest especially directly in consumer trade. For example, we have built Anno, which we bought from Anttila, with its long-term designers, a successful and increasingly international interior design brand,” says Ilkka Brander, CEO of SGN Group.
Metsola’s Riina Pulkkinen says that finding an owner who shares the same values was not easy.
“Metsola is like a child to us. We would not be willing to sell this to anyone. As growth continued to exceed our own goals, we began to face bottlenecks from all over. For example, at times in our online store we have not been able to meet the demand. We are excited, now we can focus on our passion, i.e. designing durable, everyday inspiring children’s clothing,” says Pulkkinen.
Founded in 2007, Metsola is one of the oldest Finnish children’s clothing brands. The founder of Metsola is Sanna Paakki, who was inspired to design ethical clothes after becoming a mother.
More information:
CEO, SGN Group
Ilkka Brander
050 388 3108