Grenson has a new owner.
Late last week, longtime chief executive officer Tim Little sold his majority stake in the 160-year-old English shoemaker to Castore Group, a U.K.-based performance brand for global sports teams, for an undisclosed sum.
While details of the deal were not disclosed, Little confirmed to FN in an interview that he will remain in his post for the foreseeable future. He has been with Grenson as CEO since 2005 and became the majority shareholder in 2010.
Related Stories
Since joining the business, Little noted that Grenson has sold more than a million shoes and projected approximately 10 million pounds in revenue with a 15 percent growth year-on-year.
You May Also Like
And while Little said that it’s still very early days under the new parent company, he is looking forward to the opportunities to grow Grenson even further in the future, especially internationally since a large number of the brand’s business comes from the U.K., in cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow.
“One of the big things we want to work on is becoming much stronger internationally in terms of sales, distribution and even marketing,” Little explained. “There is also an opportunity to strengthen the back end of the business that working with a larger company can provide.”
As for what’s next for the CEO, Little noted he will be spending “much more time” working on product. “I will definitely be able to focus a lot more on product and to develop the collections, which is really important to me, and why I got involved in shoe making in the first place,” he said.
Overall, Little feels that there is a “bright future for Grenson” under the new ownership. “This is a really fantastic opportunity,” he added. “We have this incredible kind of cultish love for the brand, but I think it just needs to get out there more. I’d love Grenson to get out there further, so that more people can get involved and be part of it. That’s what I’m most excited about for this particular chapter of the business.”
Tom Beahon, co-founder and CEO of Castore, added in a statement that he sees a “significant opportunity” to support Grenson’s next chapter “while protecting the qualities that make it so special.”
This acquisition is the second from Castore in less than one year. In August 2025, Castore agreed to acquire a full stake in the century-old British fashion label Belstaff on a debt-free, cash-free basis. At the same time, Belstaff’s parent company Ineos, a U.K.-based manufacturer of petrochemicals, made a significant strategic investment in Castore at a holding company level.
Founded in Liverpool in 2016 by brothers Tom and Phil Beahon, Castore’s business model combines premium performance apparel with a vertically integrated digital commerce platform and supply chain platform for top sports teams and leagues.
“Castore Group’s ambition is to build a portfolio of premium British brands with global relevance,” Beahon said. “As with Belstaff, this investment is a commitment to long-term stewardship, investing behind strong fundamentals and helping distinctive British brands reach more customers around the world.”