NAKLO (Slovenia) – Gusto, a Taiwanese brand producing racing bike frames, has recently opened its first European headquarters, more precisely in Naklo, Slovenia. A small village near the city of Kranj where you can still breathe in the atmosphere of traditions, colours and flavours typical of this part of the world.The European headquarters of Taste It was inaugurated a year ago and its modernity is almost in contrast with the surrounding structures, with many parts still made with wood from the surrounding forests.
At the Naklo facility, the assembly of the bicycles that will then be distributed on the European market is completed. It's an entirely manual job that takes a couple of hours, with three mechanics—Andrej, Urban, and Mark—sharing the burden. Around twenty bicycles leave the factory each day.
New prospectives
Taste has grown a lot over the last few years, thanks to some sporting successes linked to the Pogi Team Gusto Ljubljana, certainly, but also thanks to the quality of its frames.
«The decision to move part of the business here to Europe – says Luka Zele, Gusto Europe Operation Manager – is quite simple to explain. Cycling is a global market, and having been operating in this sector for many years, Gusto wanted to expand its bordersTo be able to work continuously with the European market, it was necessary to establish itself in the Old Continent and have a central headquarters.
«Having a European headquarters – continues Luka Zele – is also important for the Asian market and for the company itself. Much of the industry and sporting activity is concentrated here with usBeing close to athletes and consumers allows us to quickly gather feedback and part of the purchasing power that exists in Europe."
What are the differences between the Asian and European markets?
The Asian market is more oriented towards recreational cycling. Another interesting aspect is that in Asia you don't see many mountain bikes, nor gravel bikes. Consequently, distributing many road bikes on the European market means capturing a significant segment of customers who are still fond of this discipline. Likewise, it is also useful for Gusto's image in Asia, as we show how attractive our brand is on the global market of reference.The combination of these two factors means that the company is growing overall.
What advantages has being tied to a continental team for ten years now brought you?
The relationship between our company and the Pogi Team Gusto Ljubljana is quite close. Let's say that riders test our equipment, clearly at a higher level than other usersAnother reason that pushes us to sponsor a team is marketing and the resulting return on image, think what it means to us that Pogacar won the Future Tower with a Gusto bikeThe third and final reason is the presence at races, not only in Slovenia but throughout Europe. This year, even worldwide.
A team that has become increasingly international in the meantime…
We have had the opportunity to create and bring to life many beautiful stories, helping many athletes reach the next level. Over the years the team has expanded and Australian, Taiwanese and Japanese riders have arrivedMany of our staff members have also moved on to the best teams in the world, in the WorldTour: Ineos, Q36.5 Pro Cycling, Visma Lease a Bike. For us, having these stories to tell is a way to to show that our way of working works and is bearing fruit.
How much has Gusto learned from the European market?
In technical terms, there was some important feedback from the team. Some small adjustments, especially in the design, which have allowed us to improve our frames and our bicycles.
You talked about gravel and mountain bikes. Is Gusto thinking about entering this market?
The company has always focused on road bikes and will continue to do so. Likewise, one can never know what the future will bring.We're currently ruling out e-bikes and mountain bikes. We might see something about gravel in the future, which is more similar to road cycling in some ways.
How do you interact with sellers?
Entering a market where local brands far better known than ours already exist is not easy, but we have found the right way, in my opinion. The direct relationship with the retailer allows us to help him grow and evolveWe do this through cooperation, not competition. Furthermore, our resellers don't have to place pre-orders; they work with available quantities and orders as they go.
Does this also lead to the need to move the final assembly stage to Europe?
We usually have all bikes in stock and produce what is ordered with quick response times. Assembling in Europe based on market demand is a way to be present and competitive.
Is this a system that can work with higher numbers as well?
Of course, we already have plans that will allow us to support a larger production while maintaining the same order management criteria. Our working method does not require the dealer to have one or two hundred bicycles in stockThis responsibility falls to Gusto as a company. It's a system that makes us unique and distinctive on the market.
