The MeloYelo Story

MeloYelo was founded in 2016 by Rob McEwen who at the time was also founder and CEO of EVolocity, a hands-on learning programme in NZ high schools in which teams of students design, build and compete in electric vehicles. MeloYelo was initially a brand owned by EVolocity, wtih 100% of bike sale proceeds going to support the EVolocity programme.

Due to rapid growth, MeloYelo spun off from EVolocity in 2018 and was established as a separate company. Rob has continued to serve on the EVolocity board, and MeloYelo still contributes a portion of its proceeds to help fund the EVolocity programme.

Instead of focusing on bike shops as the primary distribution channel, Rob developed a network of retired and semi-retired Associates, working from their garages at home. Some of these Associates are serious about growing their MeloYelo business, while others are not.

Given the investments made in building the MeloYelo brand and the continued strong demand for ebikes, especially amongst our primary target market of baby boomers, MeloYelo made the decision in mid 2020 to expand its distribution network via franchising. All MeloYelo franchisees are required to be driven and motivated to grow their business, and unlike the more casual Associate relationships, a franchisee gets both exclusive territory and tenure.

Our primary target market is baby boomers. In 2019, 1100 boomers responded to a MeloYelo survey, telling us what they were looking for in an ebike. The results from this survey have guided our product development ever since. Because we are kiwi owned and operated, we can identify and respond to the needs of our customers faster than other brands.