“With their platform behind us, we will put our gear within the fingers of extra gamers with out dropping the enjoyable that defines us.” – Doug Sapusek, founder and CEO of Bread & Butter
Simply months after elevating $30 million at a $200 million valuation, Selkirk at present introduced the acquisition of Bread & Butter Pickleball Firm.
It marks step one in a strategic imaginative and prescient with Bluestone Fairness Companions to hunt “opportunistic acquisitions throughout the fragmented pickleball tools market.”
Florida-based Bread & Butter has one of many strongest model identities in all of pickleball, identified for unapologetic advertising and marketing and design-forward, performance-packed paddles to again it up.
None of that’s altering.
“As fellow family-founded firms, there’s a pure alignment in how we construct manufacturers and serve gamers,” mentioned Mike Barnes, co-founder and co-CEO of Selkirk Sport.
“This acquisition permits us to increase our choices with out compromising what makes every model distinctive.”
Below Selkirk’s possession, count on to see much more Bread & Butter – each in your social feeds and at your native courts.
Extra Attain, Similar Model Id
Bread & Butter has constructed a loyal following through the years for doing issues their very own means. Daring, brash, enjoyable.
The Filth has lengthy been a strong Gen-3 possibility, marked by clear aesthetics and a predictable mix of pop and management. (It was the primary “good” paddle I ever purchased, in reality.)
But it surely was the Loco that basically put them on the map.
In 2025, the Loco earned Paddle of the 12 months accolades from many reviewers and media websites. To not be outdone, The 2025 Dink Awards (a fan-nominated and fan-voted annual awards occasion) gave the Loco prime honors as effectively.
Going ahead, Bread & Butter will preserve its impartial model presence, together with its web site, advertising and marketing channels and product technique.
In case you’re unfamiliar with their “model presence,” here is founder and CEO Doug teasing the Selkirk deal yesterday:
The present homeowners and management crew, the Sapusek household, will proceed to helm model growth, inventive advertising and marketing and product innovation whereas Selkirk offers operational scale and assist.
“From day one, Bread & Butter has been a household operation constructed on the concept that pickleball ought to be enjoyable and unconventional, and that nice gear and nice tradition aren’t mutually unique,” mentioned Doug Sapusek, founder and CEO of Bread & Butter.
“Selkirk is… one other family-built enterprise that has by no means overpassed the participant. With their platform behind us, we will put our gear within the fingers of extra gamers with out dropping the enjoyable that defines us.”
Selkirk Resets SLK Line with 3 New Sub-$200 Paddles: Dauntless, Geo & Valkyrie
The corporate introduced a whole reset of the SLK by Selkirk lineup, with a said mission to make high-level efficiency paddle know-how accessible to each ability degree.
What Occurs Subsequent
For the patron, it ought to be enterprise as standard for probably the most half.
Anybody dying for a Boomstik can go discover the colour and form that fits them finest and purchase at their leisure. Similar goes for the Period or any variety of new SLK choices. If it is a Loco you search, you possibly can seize a kind of, too – till provides final, that’s.
Model integration will reportedly roll out in phases.
Based on Selkirk:
- Fast efforts are centered on guaranteeing continuity throughout product, provide chain, IT and operations.
- Within the coming months, Selkirk will increase Bread & Butter’s attain by its wholesale and worldwide distribution community.
- Integration throughout advertising and marketing, customer support and program initiatives will comply with later within the 12 months.
You also needs to be looking out for brand spanking new merchandise born from the partnership, together with paddles, balls, footwear, attire and life-style.
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The Prospects Appear Countless
In any acquisition that includes an enormous established model and a smaller, scrappier upstart, there shall be hypothesis round model dilution, promoting out, and among the magic that made every firm really feel distinctive to its core viewers getting misplaced in company translation.
I haven’t got a crystal ball. However I’ve come to know each of those manufacturers fairly effectively through the years. Each are modern, customer-centric, and wholly invested within the development of the game for a lot of, a few years to return.
Might this imply we see a Loco with InfiniGrit someplace sooner or later? New shapes or colours? A “Loco Professional” or another iteration? Maybe.
Will Selkirk tinker or change one of the beloved paddles in all of pickleball? I extremely doubt it.
Undoubtedly, although, this partnership will imply extra Locos for the plenty. Extra modern paddles from the thoughts of Doug Sapusek. Possibly even PPA execs sponsored by Bread & Butter sooner or later.
Typically simply extra of one of the distinctive and beloved manufacturers within the sport.
That is a very good factor.
