Liverpool SME financing specialist River Capital provides loan to outdoor footwear distributor ahead of autumn / winter trading peak. Tony McDonough reports

A North West distributor of outdoor footwear has secured a £25,000 loan from Liverpool-based River Capital.

Dynamic Distribution Group (DDG) is the UK and EU distributor for outdoor footwear brand BOGS, part of NASDAQ-listed Weyco Group. DDG is looking to beef up its working capital and stock purchasing ahead of the autumn / winter trading peak.

This loan has come from the NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans, managed by River Capital & GC Business Finance as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

DDG was founded in November 2024 by Lee Budworth. He previously represented the BOGS brand for around 12 years through his agency business, before relaunching UK and European distribution when Weyco stepped back from the territory. 

The relaunch draws on that long-standing relationship, along with established retailer connections and market knowledge built up over more than 26 years in the footwear, apparel and sporting goods industry.

Since launching, DDG has built out UK and EU ecommerce platforms, established wholesale relationships with retailers including Avenue 85, Welly Warehouse and Hirst Footwear, and secured a confirmed AW26 wholesale order book of around £80,000. 

The business operates through third-party warehousing and fulfilment partners in the UK and Netherlands, keeping overheads lean while it scales.

Lee Budworth said: “Rebuilding UK and European distribution for a brand I know inside out has been a great opportunity.

“This funding from River Capital comes at exactly the right point as we gear up for Autumn/Winter. It gives us the flexibility to meet demand from our retail partners and keep building momentum across both markets.”

The new funding will support one new full-time role at the business, alongside safeguarding existing employment, as DDG expands wholesale distribution across the UK and Europe, grows its direct-to-consumer ecommerce channel, and onboards additional marketplace partners.

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Jonathan Nelson, investment manager at River Capital, added: “DDG has done the hard work of building solid operational foundations across two markets in a short space of time.

“This funding is about giving the business the stock and working capital headroom it needs to capitalise on a strong forward order book heading into its busiest trading period.”