Marubeni Consumer Platform US (“MCPU”), established under Marubeni Corporation’s Next Generation Corporate Development Division, today announced the acquisition of Jacobson Group (“Jacobson”), a portfolio of lifestyle footwear brands including Gola, Lotus, Ravel, and Frank Wright, along with licensed brands Dunlop and Lonsdale. Under the agreement, Jacobson Group will be integrated into the MCPU’s lifestyle platform, with RGB Brands (“RGB”) serving as the platform engine. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Marubeni’s Next Generation Corporate Development Division leads the company’s corporate development agenda, executing investments and M&A to capture high-growth opportunities in the global consumer sector and to build new Strategic Platform Businesses. These platforms represent Marubeni’s next generation of core businesses—defined by attractive growth domains, high value creation, and scalable operating models. Within this mandate, MCPU is building a sizable consumer platform in the United States.
Jacobson Group has evolved from a family-founded British footwear business into a globally recognized, multi-brand enterprise. Gola’s more than 120-year heritage and timeless design aesthetic in lifestyle and casual footwear anchors the portfolio, and strengthens the platform’s position in attractive, high- potential categories. At the same time, its established brands and select licensing partnerships will continue to fuel growth across the UK, U.S., and other international markets – delivering further category diversification alongside expansion into new territories.
The MCPU lifestyle platform is anchored by RGB, under the leadership of President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Mullaney. RGB has more than 75 years of category expertise, with a consumer-focused, data-driven, digital-centric, and earth-first philosophy. It is the operational engine powering a portfolio of consumer brands, including Dearfoams, Baggallini, and Columbus Product Group, with the scale to reach millions across leading retailers. In November, RGB also announced an agreement in principle to acquire the global slipper license for Clarks® and the U.S. slipper license for Timberland® from Green Market Services. Integrating Jacobson into this platform will unlock meaningful value through shared scale, enhanced go-to-market capabilities, and the opportunity to elevate heritage brands with significant untapped potential.
“The acquisition of Jacobson Group advances the platform architecture we’ve been building, and comes at a particularly exciting time, fueled by Gola’s rapidly expanding market resonance. This marks a defining step in establishing the MCPU lifestyle platform as a scalable, multi-brand ecosystem.” said Shana Randhava, President of Marubeni Consumer Platform US. “With RGB anchoring operational excellence, this move reinforces Marubeni’s strategy, advanced through its Next Generation Corporate Development Division, to build category-led consumer platforms powered by shared engines, capable of shaping the company’s growth trajectory over the coming decade.”
“This is a transformative moment for RGB,” said Bob Mullaney. “Gola brings cultural relevance and global ambition, and the broader Jacobson portfolio extends the platform’s reach across lifestyle and heritage categories. Our values are closely aligned, and we are committed to investing in what already
makes these brands distinctive. By pairing Jacobson’s strengths with RGB’s scale, infrastructure, and operational excellence, we are well-positioned to accelerate growth across key international markets.”
To ensure continuity, a smooth transition, and the preservation of the deep industry knowledge and entrepreneurial culture that has shaped the business, Jacobson Group will continue to be led by its existing leadership team – Tony Evans, Gary Shutt, Jonathan Jacobson, and Donna Hill.
“I am hugely proud of everything Jacobson Group has achieved since my brother and I launched the business in 1982. It has been a privilege to steward these iconic British footwear brands, and I would like to thank all our employees for the commitment and dedication they have shown to our family business over many decades,” said Harvey Jacobson, Founder and Executive Chairman of Jacobson Group. “As we look to the future, Marubeni and RGB Brands offer the ideal platform, vision, and long- term commitment to take Jacobson’s brands into their next phase of growth. I am confident the business will continue to go from strength to strength, and I wish everyone at Jacobson, RGB and Marubeni every success as they embark on this exciting new chapter together.”
“We have never been in a stronger position, and joining this platform will allow us to build on that momentum while remaining true to the values that make Jacobson Group so special,” said Tony Evans, CEO of Jacobson Group. “This acquisition represents a major milestone for the business, and I look forward to working closely with the RGB and Marubeni teams to drive growth across the globe. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our Jacobson employees as we celebrate this landmark achievement. Finally, I would like to recognize the enormous role that Harvey and the wider Jacobson family has played in making the Group what it is today. He has put his heart and soul into growing the business, and we all owe him our sincere thanks as we wish him well in his retirement.”
