The Ambleve Group

Outdoor Recreation and Consumer Products

Case Study: Focus on Far Bank

Consumer Products and Outdoor Recreation spaces present unique challenges as companies attempt to grow market share and find operational efficiencies, especially when their markets are well entrenched. In those cases, working with premier, established brands is always a privilege. We are proud of our long-standing strategic partnership with Far Bank, which has expanded as we intercalate efforts between Far Bank and The Ambleve Bedrock Foundation to build successful corporate stewardship outcomes.

For those who do not know, Far Bank is a top-tier U.S.-based outdoor recreation company specializing in fly fishing equipment and travel experiences. Their brand portfolio includes Sage, Reddington, Rio, and Fly Water Travel.

All of our projects below utilize an aspect of Agile methodology where we empower team members from Ambleve and our partners to communicate, collaborate, challenge assumptions, remove unnecessary requirements and impediments, deploy a high-quality product, and then do that all again as we better understand the questions and desired outcomes.

Highlights

  • It turns out that the old ways of selling things change over time.  Far Bank experienced this firsthand when they brought together what was once a series of unconnected brands under one roof and sought to embrace online sales channels.  Our team helped Far Bank to develop a strategy and implementation process to balance the needs of retail outlets, while building a rational and equitable online portfolio.   To do that, we help Far Bank’s marketing team to assess strategies to modulate and regulate their sales channels as online and retail landscapes transform.  We also work to integrate carefully curated Artificial Intelligence tools into the analysis and planning aspects of the business, aiming to carve out efficiencies in what was historically a highly personal on-site sales environment – all while preserving the crucial human relationships with local businesses.  Culturally, we believe it is essential to vitalize local fly shops, which are the backbone of the industry, while exploring new sales channels.  Together with Far Bank, we will do both. 
  • Where do you get your parts … you know, all the ferrules, thread, carbon fiber, braided lines, rod blanks for specific brand models, reels?  What started as a discussion founded on pure curiosity led us to help Far Bank to more clearly visualize their foreign (non-U.S.) supply chains for select equipment, parts, and subassemblies, leading to ongoing efforts to streamline this network and create resiliency in the face of logistical challenges, shifting tariffs and a vendor network that appeared for a time to have a nearly infinite number of layers.  Removing what was not necessary and discovering what was, Far Bank is moving toward a stronger model that aligns with modern business growth expectations. 
  • Corporate Stewardship and responsibility.  The Ambleve Group and Far Bank have partnered to create an evolving corporate philanthropy strategy that helps the company to support the things that are relevant and important to its customer base, and to the organization, without breaking the bottom line.  Far Bank has a storied history of participation with conservation organizations that touch the clean water and fisheries preservation fields.  Without such efforts, Far Bank’s customers would have few wild places left to spend their weekends.  However, Far Bank also faces a challenge.  How to support exceptionally worthy organizations while growing a low-to-moderate margin business that has historically had a constrained customer base. 

Learn more about the ways The Ambleve Group has brought Far Bank and other corporate and non-profit partners together to attack social issues and corporate stewardship challenges >

Interesting Facts about Far Bank:

Ever wanted to travel to an exotic global location to fish – or, as we are frequently reminded, relax on a white sand beach while your partner fishes? Sage Experiences now curates travel to destination resorts that will provide everything from food to guides to all of your fishing gear. It is like getting demo skis, but for fishing. And the best part? You’ll get the best of Sage and Rio products, refreshed annually, without needing to lug a rod case as your carry-on. Coronas are extra.

Sage was founded in 1980 on Bainbridge Island, WA, where Sage rods are still manufactured. As we discovered when a rod color changed, the company also has an exceptionally enthusiastic user base. What people often overlook is that the company utilizes advanced engineering, leading-edge composite materials, and sophisticated design tools to create rods with characteristics that can transform an afternoon on the river into a sublime experience. It may take a ferry ride to get there from Seattle, but there is a casting pond at the back. We think that is a job perk.

Rio is still located in Idaho after over 35 years in business. This brand offers a portfolio of exceptional fly lines, leaders, and tippet.

How do they make all of those things? We are not sure. Do we trust them when we’ve hooked a large GT that is trying to swim off the edge of a coral reef? Yes.

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