A trip with friends through Southeast Asia inspired Alberto Espinós to launch his own footwear and clothing brand in 2018 under the Tropicfeel brand. “I saw that there were plenty of brands specializing in niche markets, like surfing or touring, but no multidimensional brands specializing in travel,” he says.
With this goal in mind, Espinós took advantage of his professional experience in crowdfunding and financed the first launch of his shoes designed especially for travelers through the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. They managed to sell 35,000 pairs in fifty days. In this way, recalls Espinós, the brand entered the radar of the investment ecosystem and the financing rounds, in which it has been supported to grow, in addition to having carried out two capital increases –the last one a third–.
Five years later, the Barcelona-based company has managed to multiply its turnover. Of the seven million euros in 2020, they went on to enter 12 million euros last year, and for this year they foresee sales worth 22 million euros. “The travel crisis during the pandemic has not affected us, because we are very internationalized, 23% of the billing comes from the United States; and being a small company, we have a lot of room for growth”, says Espinós.
Product diversification has also contributed to revenue growth. From exclusively selling sneakers, the brand has gone on to offer a wider range of travel items, such as jackets, t-shirts, backpacks or suitcases. “90% of the turnover in 2020 came from the sale of sneakers; now they represent only 50%”, affirms the founder.
For the next financial year, growth will be more moderate, they expect in the company, which employs more than 30 people. Its business plan contemplates reaching a turnover of 30 million in 2023 and achieving profitability (break even).
The brand has also just taken a relevant step in its commercial strategy with the opening of its first physical store in such an emblematic hub as Portaferrissa, in Barcelona. Until now, Tropicfeel only sold through the online channel, but it also wants to be located in strategic places where travelers converge. "We are well known abroad, especially in North America and Germany, and now we want to open up more in Barcelona, which is, after all, our city," explains Espinós. The brand designs its products in the Catalan capital and manufactures in Asia. If the Portaferrissa store works, they would like to make the leap to other large European cities such as London or Paris.
