11 hours ago
Cork founders of Gym+Coffee take step back from atleisure company
The Cork trio who founded the popular atleisure brand Gym+Coffee said they will take a step back from the day-to-day operations of the company nine years after its establishment.
Posting on social media to their more than 240k followers, an open letter from founders Niall Horgan, Diarmuid McSweeney, and Karl Swaine said: "After 20,000 coffees, 2,000 products, 400 events and a community of over 1m people, we believe Gym+Coffee is starting a new chapter. And so, we've made the decision, as a founding trio, to step back from the day-to-day operations of Gym+Coffee.
"As you can imagine, this wasn't a decision we took lightly. And it's hard to capture everything we feel in one short letter. But at its heart, it came down to this: after nine incredible years of building Gym+Coffee, it feels like the right time for us personally and for the business as it enters its next chapter of growth."
Launched in 2017, Gym+Coffee counted Irish rugby legend Brian O'Driscoll as an early investor, with celebrities like Niall Horan and UK fitness star Joe Wicks among fans of the brand.
The company currently operates eight stores in Ireland and sells clothing through its e-commerce platforms in Europe, the UK, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Thanking their customers for their support, the trio added: "To the amazing Gym+Coffee community: thank you for embracing an idea, a startup, and a mission. You've made this brand what it is. You've helped us build something that people genuinely feel part of. That's a rare and special thing, and we'll never take it for granted.
"It's onwards and upwards from here for Gym+Coffee, and we can't wait to see where the journey goes next. It's the start of a new chapter."
Speaking on his decision to take a step back, co-founder Niall Horgan said in a LinkedIn post: "It's been a rollercoaster in every sense. The highs have been exhilarating. The lows have been really testing. But we're so proud to say that the business today is stronger, healthier, and more exciting than ever.
"Gym+Coffee has just passed 1.5m customer orders, the business is doubling annual revenues in the UK, and we now have over 70 retail partners outside of Ireland.
"And best of all, we have a team of absolute A players who have become the ultimate guardians of the brand and business. That's why now feels like the right moment, if there ever is a perfect moment, to make some changes."
As part of these changes, Mr Horgan will take up the role of company chairman, with Jason Crawford becoming the company's CEO.
"With his experience at Nike and Adidas, Jason brings exactly the kind of global expertise, energy, and leadership we believe the business needs to scale even further internationally," Gym+Coffee said.
"And while our day-to-day roles will change, we're excited to support Jason, the team, and the brand however we can going forward."
