Tottenham casual brand Vanquish Fitness wins £100 in NatWest funding, backed by UKEF
Tottenham-based e-commerce brand VanQuish Fitness has received a £1m trade loan from UK Export Finance (UKEF) guaranteed NatWest, a move aimed at accelerating its growth and expanding its reach in international markets.
Founded in 2014, Vanquish carved a niche in the competitive leisure and gym wear market, providing high-quality active streetwear to its global customer base. Thanks to strong sales in the UK and the US, the brand is now aiming to expand further, leveraging new financing to invest in products, strengthen supply chains and explore opportunities in North America.
Flexible trade loan facilities allow businesses to raise funds as needed, ensure timely payments to international suppliers, maintain stock levels, and reduce the risk of delays or shortages – challenges for many e-commerce brands in recent years.
Co-founder and CEO Oliver Maloney said the partnership marked a turning point in the business.
“This funding from NATWEST is a game-changer for us. It enables us to manage cash flow more effectively, ensure timely payments to suppliers, and prevent any disruption in our supply chain. With this support, we have full support to continue to maintain the growth trajectory and explore new market opportunities and succeed in the United States.”
The deal is part of NATWEST’s broader strategy to increase trade financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to provide working capital support to help businesses expand into new markets.
“By leveraging our trade financing solutions and expertise, we are able to support businesses like Vanquish Fitness, who hope to take the next step to improve their business and achieve growth in new areas,” said Ayaz Sadiq, Director of Relations at NATWEST.
Ellie Morrison, trade finance manager at NATWEST, added that the loan proves the bank’s ongoing commitment to SMEs.
“This funding provides the necessary working capital to help businesses overcome cash flow challenges and achieve their growth ambitions, which reflects our commitment to supporting SMEs and promoting economic growth.”
The participation in UK export financing highlights the government’s efforts to support British brands with global potential.
Keisha Silvera, Export Finance Manager at UKEF, said: “We are delighted to partner with Natwest to support Vanquish Fitness. They are a business ready to build in its strong domestic foundation and expand in key export markets such as the United States.
By providing guarantees on NATWEST trade loans, we will help conquer the fitness chain while pursuing growth ambitions in the competitive global leisure market to maintain a reliable supply chain. This fully demonstrates the purpose of UKEF here: to help British businesses overcome financing barriers and compete successfully on the world stage. ”
As demand for casual sports continues to increase globally, the interests of the funding stance will leverage new product development and international expansion, supporting its ambition to become the leading UK brand in the global sportswear market.
