New Era Buys Stake in Brazilian Distributor

Buffalo, N.Y.–based headwear and apparel maker New Era Cap Co. bought a majority stake in Marc4 Brand & Trade, a fashion brand-management company based in Brazil. Marc4 designs and distributes apparel, shoes, headwear and accessories in Brazil under licensing agreements with several brands, including New Era. The hatmaker said the deal will give New Era access to Marc4’s licensees, including 20 Brazilian soccer teams, as well as “a state-of-the-art product-development group, production capabilities, robust distribution channels and effective marketing capabilities.” For Marc4, the deal brings the Brazilian company “its financial strength and its best practices in logistics, finance, IT and marketing,” as well as access to additional licensed brands.