Blundstone is in growth mode.
The 156-year-old Tasmanian boot company has steadily grown its sales, expanded its retail presence and launched several new products over the last several years. And according to the brand’s chief growth officer Kris Hall, Blundstone’s success is all due to its loyal group of consumers.
“The best part about the brand is that it’s a marketer’s dream,” Hall told FN in an interview. “We’re very much a discoverable brand because we don’t force it down your throat. We try to really integrate ourselves into the community in very natural ways by just being available and discovered by the people. And we’ve got a very engaged community that’s very passionate about our shoes.”
And the proof is in Blundstone’s sales. The company noted that it’s approaching annual sales of 4 million pairs, up from 3 million pairs just two years ago. Hall noted that this “slow and steady” progress is largely driven by organic growth and community engagement.
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What’s more, the executive noted that the Australian brand is pushing further into owned retail. In fact, since opening its first mono-brand store in 2019, Blundstone has continued to invest in physical retail. The brand’s mono-brand retail network is set to grow from six to nine stores this year, with new openings in Rome, Italy; Portland, Ore.; and Chicago, Ill. marking a 50 percent increase in the brand’s global store footprint.
“The in-real-life experiential elements of physical retail allow us to call back to those different discoverability elements that resonate with our core consumer,” Hill added. “And the fact that we’re a leather-driven tactile experience, you can’t really emulate that digitally. So, this push for physical retail is a natural step for the brand.”
The same mindset goes for wholesale. The exec noted that Blundstone has a global presence across six continents, in over 70 countries and is sold in more than 10,000 stores across the world.
“Wholesale is all about making sure we are making the right steps,” Hill explained. “And as we make those steps, we’re paying close attention to the nuances and volatility and the bits and pieces that come with that.”
This all comes as Blundstone doubles down on its product expansion. In March, the brand introduced its first-ever spring/summer collection with the debut of the new Aerocork Series designed for warmer weather. The line featured a new streamlined wedge-style midsole, and included a clog, a sandal and a lightweight twist on Blundstone’s signature boot. Additional Aerocork styles as well as a wider range of colorways are expected in 2027.
New products also launched for fall via Blundstone’s new Terrain Series, which introduces a technical update to its signature Gecko sole. For this new collection, the brand is using an Avalon Gecko thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) outsole designed for advanced traction and lightweight wearability.
“The Terrain Series is an evolution of some of our core technologies,” Hill added. “While it’s not too far away from the original model, it’s different enough that hopefully consumers are engaged and excited about the newness.”
Looking ahead, Hill said that Blundstone is staying the course and “sticking to its roots.”
“We are sticking to the things that make us what we are, and we don’t want to throw any of that away because that recipe works really well,” he added. “And there’s investment from both from a fiscal, but also from a human resource aspect of things, that we need to line up to make sure that we are not abdicating what we believe is our responsibility to keep things really true to our roots. But the seeds are planted. It’s now about making some real core decisions about what we want to look like as a brand into the future.”
