KORUA Shapes Splitboarding 2024/25 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Splitboarding 2024/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Korua
Interviewee: Jerry Niedermeier, Co-Founder

How would you describe the current state of the snowboard market? What big developments, changes, challenges, and/or opportunities are you seeing and how is your brand navigating them?
Business chases snow. Winter sports facing ecological & political challenges in DACH markets

Following overall price increase, any positive developments with regards to manufacturing, sourcing, or logistics and the changes you’ve made? Are there any examples you can share of how your business pivoted effectively? What developments are you seeing with regards to product pricing?
Price increase goes along with increased value products for core consumers. Also we are shifting focus to sustainability in manufacturing processes which is driving prices.

Is e-commerce sales still strong since most brands have been put a lot of effort in physical retail?
Both are important for us

After last winter and the lack of snow in Europe, what’s your overall sales and production/inventory strategy for 24/25?
Focus on core consumers

Escalator

Does your brand have any new developments concerning sustainability and/or how you are positioning any environmental messaging?
We are making small steps: ecological resins, certified woods, keep graphics simple, especially avoid waste in materials and we are testing ecological sinterbase materials.

What are your top product marketing stories for next season?
Snowsurfing will remain in focus

SPLITBOARD SPECIFIC

What about new board construction, innovation, or shape trends? Any big advancements in functionality? Skinning, transitions, etc, as well as riding? Any specific effort on ranges for 24/25? If yes, where and why?
We stick with snowsurfshapes in lengths suitable for male and female riders

Dart

Are you using any new materials in your splitboard for 24/25? If so, what, and why? We’re interested in anything new in inserts / edges / cores / sidewalls / glue / resin/ wood types / base material, top sheet here.
We concentrate on lightweight carbon construction with basedecks in topline

Any new design or pattern approaches in your 24/25 gear? Any collabs on the line?
Not for the moment.

SPLITBOARD ACCESSOIRES

What are your three biggest European markets for splitboard accessories?
DACH