F&F secures Asian market rights for Discovery Expedition

Chairman Kim Chang-soo

South Korea’s mid-sized fashion company F&F Co. has acquired the licensing rights for Discovery Expedition in major Asian countries, paving the way for an aggressive entry into overseas markets.

F&F announced on Monday that it held a town hall meeting at its headquarters in Seoul last week to commemorate Discovery’s expansion into Asia. The event was attended by all members of the Discovery brand.

“Our company has established an optimal system for global fashion business production, logistics, distribution, and marketing through our successful overseas expansion with MLB,” said F&F Chairman Kim Chang-soo. “Discovery will grow as a leading brand in Asia and, eventually, the world based on this system.”

Kim added, “Let’s succeed and help many K-fashion brands enter the global market by serving as a bridgehead.”

This summer, Discovery plans to highlight its cooling material, Freshvent, as a flagship product.

“While 50 million people endure hot summers in Korea, over 1 billion people in Asia experience even hotter summers,” Kim said. “With Freshvent’s top-notch cooling technology, we can help these 1 billion people survive the heat.”

Earlier, F&F signed an exclusive contract with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which owns the Discovery brand, to expand into key Asian countries, including China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

In the Chinese market, F&F aims to open 100 stores by the end of next year, starting with the first store in Shanghai. China, this year.

The company’s long-term vision is to become the No. 1 outdoor brand in Asia. F&F said that distributors across China and major distributor companies in various Asian countries, who have shown great affection and trust in the MLB brand, are now showing interest in Discovery.

Unlike performance outdoor brands focused on hiking, Discovery, launched in 2012, is a lifestyle outdoor brand enjoyed in everyday life. Within five years of its launch, it became the number one brand in the overall outdoor market, completely changing the market landscape.

“The fashion market is shifting from concept-driven style markets to lifestyle brands that enjoy real life,” Kim said. “Discovery has accumulated significant technology and experience in this direction since its inception.”

Meanwhile, F&F has entered the Chinese market with the MLB brand and is now active across Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, as well as the Middle East and India.

The MLB brand’s overseas consumer sales exceeded 1 trillion won ($723 million) for the first time in 2022 and are expected to surpass 2 trillion won this year.