KOKOPELLI, the Colorado-based creators of light, packable inflatable kayaks, has christened a new 5,100-square-foot office space and welcomed industry veteran Jeff Popp as the new general manager as the company looks to expand its global footprint in 2022.
Founded in 2012 inside a garage in Denver’s Washington Park neighborhood, KOKOPELLI has become an award-winning designer and developer of pack rafts for hiking, biking, fishing and skiing, with retail distribution worldwide.
The company moved into an expansive new office space north of Denver and made five additional hires to fill out its growing team, thanks to rocketing sales numbers amid a surge in interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. KOKOPELLI doubled its pre-COVID sales numbers in 2020-21 as more and more people discovered the benefits of a packable, inflatable raft that suits established outdoor adventurers and newcomers looking for a weekend escape from more urban settings.
The sales numbers were welcome news for the company and a key indication that business continues to grow for KOKOPELLI, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary in June.
The company also is working on expanding its existing line of recreational products and is developing a new line of bike packs for release as early as 2023.
“We caught a pretty substantial tailwind during COVID-19 along with a number of other outdoor sports and activities, and there was a significant upward trend in demand,” said KOKOPELLI CEO Kelley Smith. “The past two years have actually been beneficial in terms of growth and our ability to invest in the future, and we’re looking to expand our product offerings even more as we continue to grow. We’re very excited about what the next two to three years have in store.”
KOKOPELLI promoted Popp to General Manager from his previous position as the company’s Director of Product Development.
“Jeff and I have known each other for years, and he’s a very intelligent guy who is very good at what he does,” Smith said. “He’s been in the industry for more than a decade, and he has such a tremendous creative mind and a great understanding of our customer demographic, he makes it much easier for us to look at our vision and our product roadmap and make some of these initiatives a reality.”
KOKOPELLI also named Boulder-based Meteorite PR as its public relations firm of record. Meteorite PR was founded in 2017 by PR industry veteran Eric Henderson and represents a collection of clients including Mountainsmith, leading outdoor footwear company Salewa, and Rab Equipment.
To learn more about KOKOPELLI, log onto the company’s website at Kokopelli.com.
