Verndale Acquires Vaan Group to Establish Best-In-Class D2C Commerce Practice and Expand Shopify Expertise

New D2C offering helps brands move from concept to conversion faster through integrated design, build, and optimization.

BOSTON, Jan. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- Verndale, a leading digital experience and technology company, announced today the acquisition of Vaan Group, a leading D2C agency and Shopify Platinum Design & Technology partner known for creating design-led, high-performing commerce experiences. The acquisition establishes a dedicated D2C offering within Verndale and significantly expands the company's ability to build and optimize Shopify storefronts that unite brand expression with enterprise-grade technology.

Vaan has powered growth for DTC, luxury, and lifestyle brands through premium Shopify storefronts, platform migrations, and design-driven ecommerce ecosystems. Their Shopify-Platinum expertise strengthens Verndale's end-to-end experience model, enabling faster paths from product concept to build, launch, and continuous optimization.

"Brands today expect digital experiences that elevate their brand and perform flawlessly at scale," said Chris Pisapia, CEO of Verndale. "Vaan's Shopify credentials and commerce-focused conversion design elevate our ability to deliver exactly that. With the acquisition of Vaan we can help brands move faster, convert better, and operate with more adaptability in the D2C space."

While Shopify agencies have traditionally been acquired within the commerce specialist ecosystem, this marks a notable expansion of strategic capability for a broader digital experience partner like Verndale, reflecting the increasing importance of commerce as a core part of experience strategy.

"Joining Verndale allows us to bring our commerce-first approach to more brands and more complex digital challenges," said Xavier Armand, CEO of Vaan Group. "Our shared focus on integrated design and technology thinking creates an incredible opportunity to deliver even more impactful commerce experiences."

For clients, the acquisition means access to both best-in-class Shopify design and execution--including migrations, headless builds, and conversion optimization--alongside Verndale's broader capabilities in UX, product engineering, experimentation, and ongoing optimization. This integrated model reduces friction between commerce and experience strategy while increasing the speed, quality, and business impact of digital initiatives.

The acquisition reinforces Verndale's commitment to building a modern growth partner designed to meet the expectations of today's digital landscape--where brands must meet constantly evolving customer behavior with experiences that perform and convert.

About Verndale
Verndale is a digital experience and technology company that helps ambitious brands design, build, and optimize modern digital products and experiences. With expertise spanning strategy, UX, commerce, data, engineering, and experimentation, Verndale drives measurable business results. Learn more at verndale.com.

About Vaan Group
Vaan Group is a Shopify Platinum Design & Technology agency specializing in Brand Conversion Design. The team builds premium Shopify storefronts, executes complex platform migrations, and delivers performance optimization for ecommerce brands seeking high-impact digital growth. Learn more at vaangroup.com.

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SOURCE Verndale Corporation