The Riverside Company acquires Y. International

The Riverside Company has acquired Y. International, a Tokyo-based bicycle retailer with 29 company-owned stores across Japan. Riverside plans on increasing Y. International’s market share while widening its sales footprint outside Tokyo. Tokyo Star Bank provided financing and Nihon M&A Center advised Riverside on the deal.

Press Release

The Riverside Company has geared up its efforts in the Asia-Pacific region acquiring Y. International, a Tokyo-based bicycle retailer with 29 company-owned stores across Japan, with a particular focus on metropolitan Tokyo.

Y. International is Japan’s leading high-end, sport enthusiast bike retail chain. It is a big box retailer of bikes, frames, components, maintenance and fitting services, accessories, and apparel for high-end cycling enthusiasts including road bikers, triathletes, mountain bikers, and cyclocross racers.

“Y. International’s breadth of products, outstanding service, and wide range of over 20 top-tier brands differentiates them from competition,” said Riverside Vice President Hiroaki Wakashita. “Thanks to this outstanding blend of products and services, the company has strong growth prospects both within and outside metropolitan Tokyo.”

Riverside plans to build on Y. International’s strong position by increasing market share while widening its sales footprint outside Tokyo. The company can also capitalize on opportunities to increase customer loyalty and boost online sales thanks to its good reputation and large brick-and-mortar store network.

“Y. International is the first of several deals we are in the final stages of closing across the Asia-Pacific region. Owners are looking for a partner who can help them expand both domestically and internationally, and we are focusing on opportunities where we can leverage our global footprint to assist them in those objectives. For us, it is all about growth, expansion and helping institutionalize small and medium sized enterprises,” said Riverside Managing Partner Stu Baxter.

The Riverside deal team was comprised of Wakashita and Operating Partner Toki Mori. Providing support to the team was Partner Simon Feiglin, Partner Kiyo Nakano and Baxter.

Tokyo Star Bank provided financing and Nihon M&A Center advised Riverside on the deal.

The Riverside Company
The Riverside Company is a global private equity firm focused on acquiring growing businesses valued at up to $250 million (€200 million in Europe). Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has invested in 320 transactions. The firm’s international portfolio includes more than 70 companies.