Dutch eyewear retailer Ace & Tate announced on Monday that it has acquired Spanish eyewear brand Project Lobster. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Project Lobster operates stores in Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid. The brand offers both sunglasses and prescription glasses, but is in a slightly higher price range than Ace & Tate.
Ace & Tate sees this first acquisition in the company’s history as a step in the brand’s international expansion. The Dutch company has strong European growth targets and currently operates 80 stores. According to the press release, ten more will be added in 2026.
Ace & Tate is pushing ahead with international expansion
“Spain is an important next step for our European growth,” Lex van de Vliet, CEO of Ace & Tate, said in a statement. “The acquisition strengthens our base with high-performing stores and experienced local teams. Project Lobster fits well with our eyewear concept, which combines thoughtful design with professional eyewear and a customer-focused experience.”
“Project Lobster was carefully built by a dedicated team,” emphasized Oscar Valledor, one of the founders of Project Lobster, in the press release. “Combining with Ace & Tate gives us the scale and knowledge to grow thoughtfully while maintaining our focus on quality, vision and our customers.”
Prior to this first acquisition, Ace & Tate had begun a new chapter. At the beginning of 2025, founder Mark de Lange handed over his role as CEO to Lex van de Vliet and moved to the position of Chief Brand Officer himself. Under the leadership of the new CEO and with the support of de Lange, the company wants to focus more on eye optics and double the number of its branches, as the duo explained in an interview with FashionUnited. Ultimately, Ace & Tate aims to become the leading optical brand in Europe.
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