Birkenstock Cork Footbed Maker Eyes Brand Expansion in U.S. Market

Sustainable Spanish brand Genuins, known for its cork footbeds and casual shoes, is looking to expand into the U.S. wholesale channel and will launch its kids’ collection in November.

Andrew MacDonald, president of Genuins USA, said the company, which sells in over 20 countries, plans to expand through distribution partners, targeting placement at “high-end department stores, sport boutiques and specialty stores, as well as independent chains.” He said that in the last six months, Genuins has “signed over 30 retailers across the U.S.A.”

The brand is already sold online in the U.S. via the company’s website, as well as through Amazon. He said Genuins works with micro and macro influencers to target specific markets. In the U.S., the mix is currently 60/40 female to male. (Some of its products are unisex.)The brand entered the U.S. market earlier this year and has operations, including and office and warehouse, in Texas.

What the brand is best known for is premium footbeds that are from sustainably harvested cork. “Our corking is provided to brands all over the world, including to one of our main competitors. Whether it’s Birkenstock or [others], they’re all incredible brands that have had a long history of evolvement and product a phenomenal product,” MacDonald said. “We’re able to provide the best corking, arguably, in the world, and still facilitate these businesses.”

He said that manufacturing for other brands has provided learnings for Genuins in terms of what’s important for shoe buyers. “It’s being able to put a shoe on that is worn-in right away, and that’s what we pride ourselves on. With Genuins, they’re ready to go. There’s no wear-in for them, and they last,” MacDonald said.

A big part of the business in the U.S. is making sure the products are specific to the different environments and markets. One way the company adds newness is by targeting unique features for the targeted market and consumer.

College colors are important when selling near a university campus, particularly as clogs have become a favorite among students. But other regional preferences can come into play too. In fact, shoe styles from Genuins are considered a more affordable alternative to the higher-priced Birkenstock.

“I might make a full leather product in our Riva shoes, which is Hawaii’s popular product, but I may have the option of a vegan capability for California,” he explained. “It’s making sure that we have our finger on the pulse at all times [because] shoes that someone may wear up in Maine, as opposed to Alabama, may be completely different.”

The brand is a fifth generation run business that also is a vertical manufacturer. It’s production facility runs on 68 percent renewable energy powered by solar panels on-site. “We have two main plants [and] the capability with other factories and warehouses that we own to develop and involve more plants as we grow larger,” MacDonald said.

In addition to its cork footbeds, Genuins uses premium materials that are also sustainable. Leather is sourced from Leather Working Group Gold-certified tanneries. The brand’s vegan line of EVA shoes uses recycled plastic bottles and is PETA-approved.

The history of the company began when José Quirant and Dolores Maestre opened a small shoe store and workshop in Elche, where they made rope-soled shoes, in 1942. It is the second largest city in the Alicante province, which is widely regarded as the footwear capital of Spain.

Their grandson in the 1990s began making cork sandals. And brother and sister duo Asun and José Quirant Torres, the family’s fourth generation, began building a fashion brand in 2014 using the same factory. The company website said the brand doesn’t outsource and instead relies on local suppliers. It also has been operating across more than 20 countries for years. MacDonald said that Asun and José have no plans to take outside investors.

Because Elche is heavily steeped in footwear production, MacDonald said the brand doesn’t need to worry about finding skilled workers. “Being fully vertical, [we are] able to sustain the history from this person, who was the artisan, and then handing [those skills] all the way down [through generations],” he said, adding that helps the company maintain a low attrition rate.

A spokesman for Genuins said the company grew 15 percent to 18.5 million euros in 2024, and a year later expanded its workforce to 164 from 130.