With environmentally smart production and bikes in the premium segment, Eker Bikes aims to change the market both in its home country Sweden, the production country Uganda and in the rest of the world. The bamboo bikes can now be seen in the hands of ambassadors such as Anja Pärson.
"We want to increase brand awareness. Digital presence and visibility have been in focus recently, says co-owner Johan Mast.
The idea for the product originated in Uganda, where the company's production of the frame in eco-smart bamboo has also taken place since its inception. After several years of development , Eker Bikes launched its first model in 2021. The bikes are now available in three different models with several different designs, and are sold through dealers in Sweden, Germany and on the company's website.
"Eker Bikes now has a larger presence in Germany and also in southern Sweden, through both stores and other areas for marketing. We have ongoing collaborations with both companies and ambassadors where, for example, Anja Pärson took care of large parts of her training for the Champion of Champions, by cycling on a Eker, says Johan Mast and continues:
"We collaborate with a company in Umeå that manufactures cycling clothing and also a company in Östersund that manufactures helmets and goggles for cycling. Collaborations to reach out more widely with our product is a clear strategy to get more people to discover our bikes.
The bamboo frame makes the bikes more environmentally friendly than traditionally built bike frames, the production of a frame from Eker emits 93% less carbon dioxide than an equivalent frame in aluminum. The production currently employs five people in Uganda, where the long-term goal is to expand production on site.
"It is very important for us to create greater visibility in the right target groups because we need to achieve stable sales over time, which has taken longer than we thought. As sales and demand increase, production will need to increase at the same rate," says Johan Mast.
Until now, Eker Bikes has been part of BizMaker's incubator program and has in the meantime also received support from Region Västernorrland to develop its marketing.
"We have had very good support from BizMaker over the years, with good advice and access to a good network. Questions from BizMaker have always helped us to be on our toes, which has been an important part of the company's development.
The biggest challenges ahead for Eker Bikes are to cut through the noise in an industry that is experiencing a small setback after the pandemic. When the bikes are also a premium product, the current economic situation also plays a role. However, Johan Mast feels that the fluctuations do not affect a small company as much as it does for larger companies in the same industry.
"We clearly need to stand out more and more clearly, as the established players are now doing even more for their visibility. In five years, the goal is for Eker Bikes to have a well-established business in both Europe and North America. We also aim to develop models for the local market in Uganda and thus contribute to solving the mobility problems where our manufacturing takes place," concludes Johan Mast.
Contact
Johan Mast, co-owner of Eker Bikes
johan@ekerbikes.com, 070 307 22 27
