LONDON — Dutch eyewear brand Ace & Tate is turbocharging its European expansion ambitions with the acquisition of Spanish eyewear brand Project Lobster.
While details of the deal were not disclosed, Lex van de Vliet, chief executive officer at Ace & Tate since March 2025, said the link-up aligns with the brand’s long-term strategy to build “a sustainable eyewear and eye care business across Europe.”
“Spain is a key market for this growth, and the acquisition of Project Lobster allows us to significantly strengthen our footprint by bringing in their deep local expertise and cultural relevance. As a leading direct-to-consumer optician in Spain, Project Lobster has built a loyal community and a trusted platform that, combined with our shared vision for the industry, creates the perfect foundation to further scale the Spanish market together,” he added.
Ace & Tate on Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork, Ireland.
Courtesy
Oscar Valledor Perez, cofounder and CEO of Project Lobster, said Ace & Tate was a key reference for Project Lobster in its early days.
“Not only in terms of creativity and product, but also in how they built a modern, direct-to-consumer eyewear business with a strong value proposition. They showed that it was possible to combine great design, professional eye care, and a scalable, customer-centric model,” he continued.
To Ace & Tate, Project Lobster’s approach to eyewear, which combines design, eye care, and service, closely aligns with its own values. “We saw a brand that had taken a similar philosophy and successfully translated it into the Spanish market, building strong local relevance and a loyal community,” said van de Vliet.
Following the acquisition, the two brands will focus on continuity and stability.
In the long run, the companies will work toward a more unified retail experience, showing clearly that the two brands are operating as one team.
Ace & Tate said joining a larger organization provides Project Lobster with a more stable foundation and access to its scale and knowledge. “While we will integrate systems in the background to provide better operational support, the day-to-day focus for store teams and customers remains on providing high-quality service and care,” the brand added.
Ace & Tate now has over 80 stores across Europe, mostly concentrated in four key territories of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.K., with additional outposts in Spain and Switzerland. Around 10 new stores will be rolled out globally in 2026, with the latest one being in Cork, Ireland.
The Barcelona-based Project Lobster was founded in 2018 by Valledor Perez and Daniel Sisquella as a direct-to-consumer, traditional optical industry disruptor. It now operates around seven stores in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, offering eyewear styles priced between $190 and $310.
