Imperial (asi/75945), a Missouri-based maker of caps and more with a 108-year history, has acquired Pukka Inc., an Ohio-headquartered provider of custom headwear to the golf, action sports and team sporting goods markets. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

“Pukka is a very innovative brand with an energy that speaks to an audience distinct from Imperial,” said Todd Johnson, CEO of Imperial. “We believe both brands can coexist by running them separately and keeping their personalities true to their DNA. I am thrilled to partner with the Pukka brand and management team.”

Named the official licensed headwear provider for Major League Pickleball last year, Imperial’s deepest roots are in the golf word. Its customers include the U.S. Open, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, among others, and its products can be found at all of the top 100 golf courses in the United States. The Association of Golf Merchandisers has named Imperial the #1 headwear brand in golf for seven consecutive years.

Beyond selling in golf and the promo/corporate verticals, Imperial operates in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) and supply chain channels. Founded in 1916 and offering related apparel and accessories, Imperial has manufacturing and licensing relationships with the likes of Nike, Peter Millar, Vans, Tommy Hilfiger and others.

Pukka principals are pumped for the new partnership.

“While the ownership of Pukka will change, our core values, vision and dedication to ‘Be Original’ will remain deeply rooted in our culture,” said Shawn Rogers, founder and CEO of Pukka. “Imperial, and its unbelievable ownership group at CPC, is going to be a great partner with vast resources that can help us accelerate a range of growth and operational initiatives for years to come.”

The CPC that Rogers references is a Kansas City-based investment holding company whose first acquisition, in late 2021, was Imperial. CPC seeks to buy one to two companies a year and invest $60 million to $120 million per company into control positions.