Beyond the Board
The retailer of choice for those who want to live through their passions, Blue Tomato creates opportunities to grow, experience unique moments and new sensations. In this interview, RLI speaks with company CEO Adam Ellis about the global expansion of the brand and how its evolution is driven by a commitment to authenticity, trend awareness and customer experience.
Back in 1988, the Founder of Blue Tomato Gerfried Schuller was crowned European Snowboard Champion and set up the Blue Tomato Snowboard School in the same year. On the side, he began selling snowboards, outerwear and accessories out of his mother’s garage. Fast forward to 1994 and Schuller opened the first official Blue Tomato shop in Schladming. This was followed by the launch of the company’s website in 1999. From here, the business has never looked back.
Over the years, Blue Tomato has grown into one of Europe’s leading retailers for customers that want to express themselves through their lifestyle. They have increased their physical footprint over the last ten years and now operate almost 90 stores across Europe. They operate in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Italy. They believe that this footprint, alongside a robust e-commerce platform which serves customers worldwide, allows them to deliver on the expectations of customers today.
Two of the brand’s most recent openings were in Leipzig, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden as they continue to prioritise opening in markets where they already have digital customers. They have found they have more success operating this way and after they open that demand increases even further as they are able to broaden and deepen their connections within these markets.“Our vision is to help people realise powerful passion-based experiences. Over the next decade, we aim to strengthen our market leadership by enhancing customer experience, expanding our curated product offerings and putting our dynamic teams and people at the front of our connection to our customers,” explains Adam Ellis, CEO of Blue Tomato. “While we have strategically slowed down our new market expansion, our focus is on profitability, operational excellence and deepening customer connections in our core markets.”
Standing out because of their authenticity, curated product selection and their passionate and dedicated teams, Blue Tomato, unlike mass-market retailers, prioritise community engagement, unique product assortments and localised experiences that resonate with their customers. Whether it is through their expert in-store teams, digital content or partnerships with leading and emerging brands, they ensure that they provide an experience that goes beyond just selling products.
As our conversation moves onto the topic of changes within the industry, how does Ellis see consumer preferences evolving and Blue Tomato adapting to this?
“We are seeing a shift towards curation, differentiation and community-driven retail. Customers today expect more than just products – they seek an experience, a brand they trust and a seamless shopping journey across digital and physical touchpoints. At Blue Tomato, we are adapting by enhancing our digital engagement, refining our product mix and strengthening localised store experiences so that we can offer customers a chance to engage in addition to purchasing.”
As he moves onto discussing the evolution of e-commerce, the CEO explains that online retail continues to become more data driven and efficient. He feels it is important for them to make sure that they differentiate their assortment and experience when compared to the mass market players. “Our goal is to provide a seamless journey, where customers can interact with our brand in a way that best suits their lifestyle.”
In addition, sustainability is a priority for the business and they are continuously working with their brand partners to ensure responsible sourcing and ethical production. Moving forward, they aim to integrate more sustainable product options and develop initiatives that support long-term ecological responsibility.
As we move onto talking about company culture, Ellis highlights that they encourage collaboration, empowerment and development. Whether it is through cross-functional teamwork, event activations or engaging with customers in their stores, they ensure that their teams stay engaged and inspired.
“Like many retailers, we faced significant challenges during the pandemic and the inflationary period that followed. By shifting our focus to profitability, optimising operations and strengthening customer engagement, we have been able to navigate these challenges effectively while positioning ourselves for long-term success,” Ellis comments.
The future of the company will see them focus on profitable, sustainable growth. By 2026, Blue Tomato aims to solidify its market leadership in the Germanic region while at the same time refining their omni-channel strategy and brand positioning. Their future will be built on delivering exceptional experiences, staying ahead of trends and deepening their connection with their customers.
“Our success is built on our employees’ authenticity, passion and commitment to our customers. As we move forward, our goal is to stay true to our culture while evolving in ways that create long-term value for both our customers and business. We are excited about what is ahead and look forward to continuing to create powerful, passion-based experiences for our employees and customers,” concludes Ellis.
Credit main picture: Hannes Mautner. Blue Tomato team rider: Marco Kada
