Who Owns These Popular Running Brands

Most people who are into running on road, track, or trail have a preferred shoe brand or two. I definitely do, and there is a good reason for that: whenever I go a little crazy and buy a pair of shoes I am unfamiliar with because they look cool, my old-man feet always end up hurting, and I hobble back to my go-to brands.

If you run, you might also enjoy sitting and watching athletes tear around tracks or trek up mountains, and you probably have a few favorite professional runners who are sponsored by these brands and are part of their elite professional teams. I’m a big fan of the Brooks Trail Running Team and OAC Global.

Brands support their athletes by providing them with gear, paying for race entries and travel, giving them bonuses for doing well (getting on podiums) in big races, and a bunch of other stuff like training and nutrition support, and, of course, prodding/reminding them to post on Instagram.

Some brands are small and plucky, some are big and sponsor major races, and a few, surprisingly, are owned by large corporations. There’s also a brand that will charge you $140 for a t-shirt with holes in it, if you like wasting money.

Here’s a quick breakdown of who currently owns these major players in the running space.

Let’s start with a couple of fun facts:

The North Face and Altra are owned by the same parent company.
Merrell and Saucony are also owned by the same parent company.

And now let’s learn about some these brands (and enjoy some more fun facts)…

Adidas – Founded in 1949 in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Adolf Dassler created the brand after splitting from his brother, Rudolf (founder of Puma). Adidas is a publicly traded company with no single owner. It is still headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Name origin: Adolf “Adi” Dassler, who combined his nickname (“Adi”) and the first three letters of his last name (“Das”).

Altra – Founded in Orem, Utah, in 2009, Altra was acquired by VF Corporation in 2018. It is now headquartered in Denver. Name origin: Altra is a derivation of the Latin word altera, which means “to fix or mend something that is broken.”

Asics – Founded in Kobe, Japan, as “Onitsuka Tiger” in 1949, Asics is a publicly traded Japanese corporation still headquartered in Kobe. Name origin: “ASICS” is an acronym for the Latin phrase, “Anima Sana In Corpore Sano,” translating to “a sound mind in a sound body.”

Brooks – Founded in Philadelphia in 1914, Brooks was acquired by Russell Athletic in 2004 and became an independent subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway in 2011. It is now headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Name origin: founder John Brooks Goldenberg.

Craft Sportswear – Founded in 1977 in Borås, Sweden, Craft was acquired by the New Wave Group in 1996. The global headquarters are in Borås, Sweden, and the North American headquarters are in Seattle, Washington.

Hoka – Founded in Annecy, France, in 2009, Hoka was purchased by Deckers Brands in 2013. Deckers also owns UGG and Teva. It is now headquartered in Goleta, California. Name origin: (originally Hoka One One) is derived from the Māori language, specifically translating to “to fly over the earth.”

Kailas – Founded in 2003 by Baggio Zhong. It is headquartered in Guangzhou, China. Name origin: It is named after Mount Kailash, the sacred 6,638-meter peak in the Tibetan Himalayas.

Karhu – Founded in Helsinki, Finland, in 1916, Karhu was sold to a group of investors organized under “Karhu Holding B.V.” in 2008. It is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Name origin: Karhu means “bear” in Finnish.

La Sportiva – Founded in 1928 by Narciso Delladio in the Italian Dolomites, La Sportiva is still 100% owned by the Delladio family. It is headquartered in Ziano di Fiemme, Italy. Name origin: It was initially named “Calzoleria Sportiva” (Sporty Shoemaking).

Merrell – Founded in 1981 in Waitsfield, Vermont, Merrell was purchased by Karhu in 1987, and in 1997, Karhu sold Merrell to Wolverine World Wide. It is now headquartered in Rockford, Michigan. Name origin: co-founder Randy Merrell.

Mizuno – Founded in 1906 in Osaka, Japan, as Mizuno Brothers, Mizuno is a publicly traded Japanese corporation, primarily owned by institutional investors, with the largest shareholder being the Mizuno Sports Promotion Foundation. It is headquartered in Suminoe, Osaka, Japan. Name origin: founder Rihachi Mizuno.

New Balance – Founded in 1906 as the “New Balance Arch Support Company” in the Boston area, New Balance is privately owned by Chairman Jim Davis and his family. It is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Name origin: New Balance was named by founder William J. Riley, who was inspired by the 3-point balance of chickens in his yard.

NNormal – Founded in 2022 by legendary mountain athlete Kilian Jornet, NNormal is co-owned by Jornet and the Spanish footwear company Camper. NNormal is based in Mallorca, Spain. Name origin: a combination of the first syllables of “Norway” and “Mallorca.” Not sure why they use double Ns.

Norda – Founded in 2020 by Willa and Nick Martire, they retain control while the Ermenegildo Zegna Group holds a minority stake in the brand. Norda is headquartered in Barnston West, Quebec, Canada. Name origin: Scandinavian/Old Norse word for “north” (norðr), symbolizing the brand’s identity as a proudly Canadian.

Nike – Founded in 1964 as “Blue Ribbon Sports” in Eugene, Oregon, by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, Nike initially operated as a distributor for Japanese shoemaker Onitsuka Tiger (now Asics) before officially becoming Nike, Inc. in 1971. Nike is a publicly traded company primarily owned by institutional investors, with co-founder Phil Knight and his family holding significant control. It is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. Name origin: the Greek goddess of victory.

On – Founded in 2010 in Zürich, Switzerland, On is primarily owned by its co-founders—Olivier Bernhard, Caspar Coppetti, and David Allemann—along with tennis legend Roger Federer. It is still headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. Name origin: The brand wanted to make runners feel like they were “running on clouds”.

Puma – Founded in 1848 in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Puma has a dispersed ownership structure with Groupe Artémis and Anta currently listed as the largest stakeholders. It is still headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Name origin: the shoes embody the speed, agility, and strength of the wild cat.

Salomon – Founded in Annecy, France, in 1947, Salomon was purchased by Adidas in 1997 and sold to Finnish retail conglomerate Amer Sports in 2005. Amer is primarily owned by a consortium led by Chinese sportswear giant ANTA Sports. It is headquartered in Annecy, France. Name origin: founder Georges Salomon.

Saucony – Founded in 1898 in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, Saucony was acquired by Stride Rite in 2005, which became part of Wolverine World Wide in 2012. It is now headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. It is pronounced, “sock a knee.” Name origin: the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

SCARPA – Founded in 1938 in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains by Rupert Guinness, the 2nd Earl of Iveagh, SCARPA is owned and operated by the Parisotto family and is headquartered in Asolo, Italy. Name origin: an acronym for Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima (Associated Shoe Manufacturing Company of the Asolo Mountain Area).

The North Face – Founded in San Francisco in 1968, The North Face was bought by VF Corporation in 2000. It is now headquartered in Denver. Name origin: the coldest, iciest, and most challenging side of a mountain to climb.