The tennis clothing and accessories market is dominated by centuries-old and consolidated brands such as Fila, Wilson and Babolat — not to mention the giants Nike and Adidas, which also have lines aimed at those who practice the sport. Still, two former Itaú BBA M&A analysts decided to try their luck in this niche.
Jorge Castello Branco and Felipe Tersi left their careers at Faria Lima to create Slyce Apparel, which wants to position itself as the premium brand for Brazilian tennis players.
“It's true that there are several big international players, but when you look at which ones are really investing in Brazil, there are very few,” Jorge told Brazil Journal. “Fila is one of the few that has invested heavily here.”
According to him, Brazilian players end up using imported products because, in addition to there being few Brazilian brands, there is a quality gap between national products and those from abroad. With Slyce, the objective is not only to close this gap but also to offer a product superior to that of brands like Fila.
To create Slyce, the founders say they spent eight months developing the products and looking for the best suppliers. “We did this without thinking too much about the cost, trying to really create a product that was wonderful and that we could price high,” said Felipe.
Read more at Brazil Journal
