Kwik Fit ramps up bicycle servicing with Fettle acquisition
Following its partnership announced last year, Kwik Fit has now acquired bicycle servicing company Fettle.
Founded by Jeyda Heselton, Fettle was set up to shake up the service experience in the UK’s cycling industry, offering “faff-free” bike repair including collection, repair then returning bikes to customer doorsteps.
The move is significant for automotive market stalwart Kwik Fit and also in terms of its intentions to take a slice of the burgeoning last mile delivery and cargo bike delivery sector.
100% ownership of Fettle has been transferred to Kwik Fit, facilitating the combination of Fettle’s innovative approach to cycle servicing with Kwik Fit’s resources, network and expertise in the automotive sector. The Fettle management team will remain with the business, including Jeyda Heselton, who founded Fettle in 2019, continuing to lead the company.
The duo said the strategy of Kwik Fit and Fettle is to “revolutionise the service experience in cycling”. Noting increased complexity as bicycles evolve with electrification, the move will ensure “that every cyclist’s needs are met with expertise and the reassurance of a brand focused on customer care”. The press statement also noted the potential the move holds for cycle manufacturers who sell directly to consumers.
Jeyda Heselton, founder of Fettle, said: “We established Fettle with a clear mission: to revolutionise the service experience in the UK’s cycling industry. Joining the Kwik Fit organisation is a pivotal step in this journey, providing an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate expansion as we can now leverage Kwik Fit’s extensive network which is well located to service consumers, manufacturers and fleets.
“Kwik Fit’s business ethos aligns with ours and it brings mature, world-class skills and a depth of knowledge that is invaluable to a young and growing company like Fettle. We’re excited for this new chapter and the possibilities it opens up for Fettle, our customers, and the wider cycling community.”
Mark Slade, managing director of Kwik Fit, said: “In a world where mobility is changing rapidly, we are seeing many of our customers diversify their modes of travel, and businesses are broadening the make up of their fleets, especially for ‘last mile’ deliveries and services. Integrating Fettle into Kwik Fit centres embraces this shift and enables us to offer comprehensive mobility solutions under one roof with support for bicycles, e-bikes, and cargo bikes complementing our established automotive services.
“From its inception, Fettle has been an innovator in customer service, cultivating a strong brand centred on excellence and trust. With Kwik Fit’s acquisition of Fettle, we are not just broadening our service spectrum; we are also reinforcing Fettle’s customer-centric ethos. Leveraging Kwik Fit’s extensive support, we aim to enhance the overall experience for our customers. This acquisition will also enable an acceleration in the rollout of the Fettle network that would have been more challenging for it to achieve independently. This combination ushers in a new era in servicing the UK’s mobility needs where efficiency, customer satisfaction and innovation stand at the forefront.”
There will be no interruption to service as a result of the change in ownership, with existing employees remaining with the company and all current services and locations being maintained.
