Blue Tomato
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Gerfried Schuller |
| Headquarters | Schladming, Austria |
Number of locations | 80+ stores |
Area served | Europe |
Key people | Adam Ellis (CEO) |
Number of employees | 850 (2025) |
| Parent | Zumiez Inc. (since 2012) |
| Website | www |
Blue Tomato GmbH is an Austrian retail company specialising in boardsports equipment, streetwear, and lifestyle apparel.[1][2] The company was founded in 1988 by Gerfried Schuller in Schladming, Austria.[3][4] Since 2012, Blue Tomato has been a subsidiary of the U.S.-based retailer Zumiez Inc.[5][6][7][8]
History
[edit]Blue Tomato was founded in 1988 by Austrian snowboarder Gerfried Schuller, who won the European Snowboard Championship in 1988.[1][9] Before founding the company, Schuller was active in competitive snowboarding and contributed to the development of the sport in Austria.[10] He originally established Blue Tomato as a snowboard school in Schladming.[11][12]
In the early 1990s, Schuller began selling snowboard equipment informally under the name "Gerry’s Garage".[13][14] In 1994, the company opened its first permanent retail store in Schladming.[11][15] During the late 1990s, Blue Tomato developed an online presence and launched its official webshop in 1999.[16][17]
In 2012, Blue Tomato was acquired by the American action-sports retailer Zumiez.[18][19] Following the acquisition, the company continued to operate as part of the Zumiez group and functions as its European retail arm while expanding its store network across Europe.[8][20][21]
In 2017, founder Gerfried Schuller stepped down from operational management, and Adam Ellis became chief executive officer.[12][22]
In 2019, Blue Tomato received the Anton Award in the multichannel category.[23] In 2025, the company ranked third in the "Sport Retailer of the Year" category at the #VICTOR Awards.[10][24]
During the 2020s, the company continued expanding its retail presence into additional European markets, including Sweden, Italy, and Belgium.[25][26][27]
Operations
[edit]Blue Tomato operates as a multi-channel retailer combining brick-and-mortar stores with an international e-commerce platform.[28] Blue Tomato operates over 80 retail stores across Europe,[29] including locations in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, and Belgium, while maintaining a global online store.[30] Its headquarters are in Schladming, Austria, with additional operational and administrative functions located in Graz and Vienna.[31]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Blue Tomato: Gründer Gerfried Schuller zieht sich zurück". trend.at (in German). 2017-01-27. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Überdurchschnittlich gute Geschäftsentwicklung bei Blue Tomato". www.report.at (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato expandiert nach Bayern". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Der amerikanische Sport-Retailer Zumiez übernimmt Blue Tomato". FashionNetwork.com (in German). 2012-06-22. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Zumiez buys Blue Tomato for USD 75m". FashionUnited. 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "The Stores: How board sports specialist Blue Tomato is debuting in Italy". The Spin Off. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ Veronika (2012-06-21). "Lesenswert: Blue Tomato, PR-Tipps, Joyn, WhatsApp, Neue Internetadressen, Mithril Capital". deutsche-startups.de (in German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- 1 2 Gropler, Melanie (11 May 2020). "Store des Tages Frühjahr 2020: Blue Tomato: 50. Store eröffnet an historischem Platz". Textilwirtschaft (in German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato mit Flagship-Store in Graz". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- 1 2 "35 Jahre Blue Tomato – Die Story hinter dem Board-Shop". Snowboarder MBM (in German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- 1 2 "Blue Tomato celebrates 30 years". Method Magazine. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- 1 2 "Management Changes: New CEO for Blue Tomato". The Spin Off. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato expandiert in Deutschland". news.ORF.at (in German). 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato eröffnet Flagship-Store in Wien - oesterreich.ORF.at". wiev1.orf.at. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Ausgezeichnete Blue Tomato". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato profile". Retail & Leisure International. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ Young, Vicki M. (2012-06-19). "Zumiez in Deal to Acquire Blue Tomato". WWD. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Zumiez to buy Austrian retailer Blue Tomato". Reuters. 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Zumiez to acquire Blue Tomato". WWD. 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Zumiez to buy European retailer Blue Tomato". The Seattle Times. 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Zumiez to acquire action sports retailer Blue Tomato". Retail Bulletin. 21 June 2012.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato founder hands over to Adam Ellis". FashionNetwork. 2017-03-02. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "E-Commerce Exzellenz: Fünf Gewinner beim Anton Award". Internet World Austria. 2019-06-18. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Roswitha Stadlober ist Sportmanagerin des Jahres 2025". Sportbusiness Magazin. 2025-11-01. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato opens first shop in Sweden". BoardsportSource. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato opens its first shop in Italy". BoardsportSource. 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Belgium gets its first Blue Tomato retail store". SGI Europe. 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato reaches 70 store milestone". BoardsportSource. 2022-05-02. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Lagerverkauf bei Blue Tomato, Gustav in Dornbirn". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Blue Tomato has opened its 90th store". SGI Europe. 2026-01-08. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "35 years of Blue Tomato". Wirtschaftszeit. 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2026-04-10.