European kids bike brand woom enters UK retail space with D2C push and nationwide roll-out

woom, a European specialist in premium bikes for children and teenagers, has announced the official launch of its direct operations in the United Kingdom.

It has established a dedicated UK subsidiary and integrated the team from The Little Bike Company, its UK partner since 2017, into its organisation. Simon Timlett has been appointed as Country Manager.

The brand is transitioning to a direct-to-consumer model, supported by the dedicated UK subsidiary and a planned nationwide retail roll-out, building on its presence through third-party retailers.

The UK expansion follows a big year for the Vienna founded company, which launched in 2013. In 2025, it achieved record breaking global revenue of €149 million (approximately £130 million), with 392,000 bikes sold. The UK has emerged as a primary engine for this growth, recording a 121% year-on-year increase.

“Setting up our own team in the UK is about being closer to the families who use our bikes every day; we want to provide the best possible service and a product that truly gets more kids outside,” says Bernd Hake, CEO at woom.

“The UK is a powerhouse cycling market and it’s time we played at the highest level here. By going direct, we’re putting our foot on the gas to ensure woom is the first choice for families who care about performance. We’ve had a record-breaking year, but we aren’t slowing down. We’re here to be fast, stay local, and earn our place on the streets of London and in every community across the UK."

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

D2C brands will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.