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Retail & Consumer

Castore, backed by Andy Murray and Issa brothers, crowned º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's fastest growing retailer

The sportswear brand, which is backed by the likes of Sir Andy Murray and the billionaire Issa brothers, has been named as the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's fastest growing retailer

Castore logo(Image: Getty Images)

British sportswear brand Castore, backed by prominent figures such as Sir Andy Murray and the billionaire Issa brothers, has been recognised as the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's fastest-growing retailer.

The Manchester-based firm topped the Retail Index list, which evaluates revenue growth over a two-year span, as reported by .

According to the data used for the ranking, Castore's sales escalated seven-fold from 2021 to £115m in the year ending 31 January 2023. This announcement follows City AM's report in late October that the brand's revenue had risen to £190.3m in the 12 months leading up to 4 February 2024.

However, the same accounts, filed with Companies House, disclosed that Castore had slipped into a pre-tax loss of £28.8m after previously posting a pre-tax profit of £14.6m the previous year. The company's results indicate it incurred exceptional costs exceeding £24.4m in the year, pushing it into the red.

Even before considering these additional costs, the firm's operating profit was drastically cut from £16.5m to £399,148 within the year. Moss Bros also features among the top ten in the Retail Index list of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's fastest-growing retailers, which includes Castore, Harding+, The Modern Milkman, Assisi Pet Care, Pelham Group, J & A Beare, Edgar Brothers, Passenger, Nobody's Child, and Moss Bros.

Orlando Martins, founder and CEO of Growth Index and ORESA, expressed optimism about the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's retail landscape, saying: "The º£½ÇÊÓÆµ is a hotbed of innovation and creativity in retail, flying the flag globally from nimble start-ups through to some of our largest companies."

He added that the sector's potential is often overlooked in strategic economic discussions: "Yet it rarely features in discussions about industrial strategy which, considering the heritage of much of our textile, fashion and luxury subsectors, is a missed opportunity."

Martins called for a shift in recognition: "It's time that changed. The companies on this list prove that savvy retailers can grow at great pace, creating jobs, building export markets and contributing revenues to the Treasury."