FOND OF Group Holding GmbH[1]
TypeGmbH
IndustryTextile Industry
Founded2010[2]
FounderSven-Oliver Pink, Florian Michajlezko, Oliver Steinki, Juliaan Cazin
Headquarters
Cologne
,
Germany
ProductsBackpacks, Bags,shoes
Number of employees
300[2]
Websitewww.fondof.de

FOND OF GmbH, marketed as FOND OF, is a German manufacturer of sustainable, ergonomic backpacks, minimal shoes and bikes. The startup company was founded by Sven-Oliver Pink, Florian Michajlezko, Oliver Steinki and Juliaan Cazin in 2010 and is based in Cologne.[2]

History

FOND OF Group, initially founded as ergobag GmbH, launched its first product in 2010: an ergonomic, sustainable backpack for primary school children called ergobag.[3][4] In the past years, six additional brands were added to their product portfolio, out of which at least two (Offermann and Salzen) have been discontinued. Currently FOND OF Group has five active brands: Affenzahn, ergobag, satch, AEVOR and pinqponq, generating revenues in excess of 100 Mio EUR. This extension in the brand and product portfolio led to a change in company name to FOND OF BAGS and then to FOND OF as other product categories such as shoes were added. Today, FOND OF Group has appr. 300 employees and distributes its products in 35 countries worldwide.[2] [5]

Products

The fond of portfolio contains 5 brands:[2]

  • Affenzahn
  • Ergobag
  • Satch
  • AEVOR
  • pinqponq

All of these individual adaptable products are produced substantially, using Polyethylene terephthalate, i.e. Polyester made of recycled PET bottles.[6][7]

Awards

Controversies

In August 2021 the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) imposed a fine of 2 million euros on Fond Of GmbH for illegal practices of vertical price fixing. The company was accused to have "restricted the pricing of school bags and school backpacks sold by retailers cooperating with the company" according to the authority.

References

  1. ↑ Bundesanzeiger. "Jahresabschluss zum Geschäftsjahr vom 01.08.2021 bis zum 31.07.2022". Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 F.O. Bags GmbH. "Fond Of". Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Richters, Kim (20 September 2016). "Die Rucksack-Rebellen mit dem Millionen-Umsatz". Gründerszene. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  4. ↑ Moritz, Raphael (17 August 2013). "Die Idee mit den Recycling-Ranzen". Die Zeit. Zeit Online. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "– Bundesanzeiger".
  6. ↑ Lorentz, Frank. "Millionenschwere Geschäftsidee kam bei einer Party". welt. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis. "FOND OF BAGS (F. O. BAGS GmbH) gehört zu den Top 5 in der Kategorie "Deutschlands nachhaltigste KMU 2016"".
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