Tag Archives: baby

UK retailer Mamas & Papas eyes licensing and franchising among global growth plans

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The British nursery and children’s wear retailer, Mamas & Papas is eyeing international growth, having signed a slate of new overseas partnerships across central and eastern Europe.

The move, according to the firm, arrives amid a surge in international demand for British heritage brands like the Yorkshire-based Mamas & Papas, who has now counted the exploration of licensing partners among its wider global ambitions.

The company, who has headquarters in Huddersfield, and designs and manufactures travel systems, nursery furniture, and children’s clothing, said the new agreements were part of the retailer’s long term goal to be the ‘global nursery brand of choice.’ It added that it was exploring multiple routes to market, from “distributors and agents, to franchisees and licensing partners.”

Mamas & Papas has now signed distribution partners in ten countries, including the likes of Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic, which have been pinpointed as key markets for the brand. It is also close to signing agreements covering five further countries.

With similar partnerships in the Far East and the Middle East now also on the radar, Mamas & Papas expects to double its overseas sales to the region next year.

Johan Meyfroidt, international general manager at Mamas & Papas, said: “There has always been strong overseas demand for British heritage brands like Mamas & Papas and our products have sold successfully in a number of markets for decades. As we step up our global ambitions, we’re exploring multiple routes to market, from distributors and agents to franchisees and licensing partners.

“What works in Poland may not work in Malaysia, so it’s important we have the agility to tailor our approach to suit local market dynamics.”

Mark Saunders, chief executive officer at Mamas & Papas, added: “Our international strategy is about scaling our presence in new and existing overseas markets at pace but also at low cost, helping us meet increasing global appetite for our design-led products, especially in those territories with increasingly affluent populations.

“Post-Brexit, it’s important that UK firms think globally about their growth and take full advantage of the enduring appeal of British brands.”

“We’re also continuing to expand our presence in our core UK market, both through our online business and our standalone stores and Next concessions.”

The company recently reported strong trading across its store portfolio and online business following the re-opening of non-essential retail in April.

Baby and parent product label Marcus & Marcus eyes licensing move into toys, fashion, kitchen and more

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The baby and parent product label, Marcus & Marcus is taking its first steps into the licensing space, having appointed LMG to help build brand awareness through a programme of new licensing partnerships.

Developed by two parents, Marcus & Marcus is recognised for its bold, bright and engaging animal friends designed to kep children engaged.  The brand strives to help families take on the challenges of parenting and simplify the everyday chaos.

Drawing from the brand’s ethos and commitment to safety, quality, and sustainability, LMG seeks licensee partners in lifestyle categories such as Children’s Fashion, Toys and STEM Toys, Bags and Luggage, Bedding, Toddler & Infant Products, and Home and Kitchen.

“We’re honored to add the Marcus & Marcus brand to our client roster and look forward to developing products and promotions that support young families and walk them through the ups and downs of parenting,” said Andrew Kwan, EVP LMG, Maxx Group.

“The adorable Marcus & Marcus animal friends inspire fun, fresh and unique designs. We will be guided by the needs and desires of modern parents in our approach, we’re looking for licensees that embrace the core brand principles of safety, innovation and sustainability,” said Eric Tong, senior licensing manager LMG, Maxx Group.

The three-year partnership between Marcus & Marcus and LMG will commence Spring 2021. LMG are currently seeking licensee partners in Children’s Fashion, Toys and STEM Toys, Bags & Luggage, Bedding, Toddler & Infant Products and Home & Kitchen.

Etta Loves partners with Keith Haring Foundation on new baby collection

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The baby and mother specialist, Etta Loves has teamed with the Keith Haring Foundation to create a new range of sensory baby products that makes use of the artist’s much-loved designs and embodying Haring’s own sentiments that ‘art is for everyone.’

The new range brings the art of Haring to a new generation, combining the iconic prints with the science that is at the heart of the Etta Loves product range. A popular artists and activist, Haring was part of the New York art scene during the 1980s. Since then, his classic colourful figures have become an iconic symbol in popular culture.

The new Etta Loves x Keith Haring collection of baby essentials combines his art with the expertise that Etta Loves’ resident NHS orthoptist – an expert in children’s vision who consults with the design team – to bring a range that supports babies’ visual and cognitive development.

The science of Etta Loves aims to ensure that babies are stimulated and mesmerised, giving parents moments of calm throughout the day.

The collection comprises two designs: Baby and Brazil. Baby features Haring’s iconic crawling babies in high contrast black and white. Etta Loves has scaled the design to support babies’ visual and cognitive developments from birth to around four months. Meanwhile, Brazil is a brightly coloured version of Haring’s 1989 artwork of the same name, recoloured and scaled to support babies from five months to around one year old.

The collection includes Etta Loves favourites including its reversible playmat, the best-selling sensory strip, extra large muslins, comforters, a teether, and two new products.

The Haring Foundation, said: “The Haring Studio is excited to partner with innovative brand Etta Loves, bringing Haring’s core message of Art is for everybody to a new generation. Haring’s Iconic and bold artwork, with minimal use of lines make the perfect patterns for these sensory designs.” 

Jen Fuller, founder of Etta Loves, added: “Keith Haring famously said that “Art is for everyone” so to be able to introduce the radiant joy of his work to a new generation is an honour.

“This unique range truly does collide art with science in the most magical of ways, to support babies with their development whilst giving parents some well needed and very stylish calm in the everyday.”

Early Learning Centre partners with Poetic Brands for baby, children’s wear and accessories

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The Early Learning Centre brand is expanding into baby, children’s wear and accessories, thanks to a new licensing partnership with the clothing specialist, Poetic Brands. The partnership has been brokered by the Early Learning Centre’s licensing agency, Riverside Brands.

The new ELC collection will incorporate baby and children’s wear products, including baby layette fashion, as well as accessories such as baby changing bags and slings in the baby collection. In the children’s category, Poetic Brands will launch children’s daywear, as well as accessories including luggage, beach towels and bags, and flip flops.

Having traded in a number of guises since 1974, the Early Learning Centre has become a destination retailer for expectant mothers, new parents and beyond. Currently owned by The Entertainer, ELC operates both online and within The Entertainer stores with a vision to support parents with their child’s early years learning and development through play.

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “When we heard about the opportunity of establishing ELC as an apparel collection, we jumped at the chance to come on board and work with Ash [founder of Riverside Brands] and The Entertainer on this project.

“In the initial year of setting up the business it has been so important to us to look for new opportunities to the market and the ELC brand absolutely ticks this box. Our team has a huge amount of experience across both baby and toddler and they are looking forward to creating a unique apparel collection at retail.”

Ashley Holman, MD, Riverside Brands, added: “We have had a fantastic initial response to the Early Learning Centre licensing opportunity since announcing it a few months ago and it is really exciting to be partnering with Poetic Brands, as they really understood the vision we have for the brand from the outset. We are confident this will be the start of a very successful partnership for all involved.”

Mothercare signs off franchise partnership with UK high street retailer Boots

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The baby products specialist brand Mothercare has signed off a franchise deal with the high street retailer Boots that will see the pharmacy chain sell Mothercare products within its branches and online. Mothercare wnet into administration last year and was forced to close all of its UK shops in January this year.

The deal with Boots was first detailed in December 2019, but has suffered repeated delays drawn out by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The franchising agreement will now run in the UK and Ireland for an initial period of 10 years. Mothercare has stated that the deal will take effect as of this autumn.

“Boots is at the heart of one of the largest healthcare businesses in the world and Mothercare will dovetail well as the specialist brand for parents and young children in both Boots stores and online,” Mothercare said in an update on its restructuring plan.

Mothercare’s UK business went into administration in November last year and all its 79 UK outlets were subsequently closed. There are still 800 stores in 40 other territories, all operated by franchise partners.

Mothercare said it had signed a new 20-year deal with its biggest franchise partner, the Alshaya Group, which operates Mothercare stores in Russia and 10 Middle Eastern countries.

It said that the restructuring of its UK business had substantially reduced its debts, but estimated that it still had outstanding obligations worth about £10m.

Macmillan Children’s Books celebrates Dear Zoo in new F&F at Tesco range

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Macmillan Children’s Books has struck up a new deal with Tesco’s clothing brand F&F to launch a range of baby clothing based on the classic pre-school storybook Dear Zoo created by Rod Campbell.

Developed by Paul Dennicci for F&F at Tesco, the range launched last week across 165 stores nationwide, tying in with a special Tesco Baby Event. The initial collection features six garments, including vests, bibs, and a sleeping bag, all designed for babies aged 0 to 24 months.

The launch reflects the renewed interest in Dear Zoo and builds on the success of the core licensing partners, including Hacche Retail (puzzles and games for Marks & Spencer), Milly & Flynn (games and wooden toys), Neviti (party paperware) and Paul Lamond Games (puzzles and dominoes).

The launch will be supported by a campaign with ComeRound (www.comeround.com), the word-of-mouth marketing agency that is dedicated to harnessing the power of real people recommending products they genuinely love from inside the home. Over 100 families will receive a pack of Dear Zoo books and merchandise and will celebrate at the end of July with at-home Dear Zoo Read and Play Days. Alongside, there is also strong online influencer activity, focusing on the new apparel.

Stephanie Barton, publisher at Macmillan Children’s Books, said: “We brought the licensing of Dear Zoo in-house to take full advantage of the popularity of this evergreen and well-loved book. We are targeting a small number of core product categories to build on the success of our current, long-standing licensing partners. We’ve had such a wonderful response to Dear Zoo, in part due to the wonderful new assets that Rod Campbell himself and the team at Macmillan have created.

“We are delighted with Tesco’s commitment and enthusiasm and I know that Dear Zoo readers and their parents will be very excited by these lovely new products.”

The Dear Zoo classic storybook continues to be at the heart of families throughout the UK. Following on from its place as the number one Picture book in 2018, sales last year were up 19 per cent. The classic board book version appeared in the Nielsen Preschool Top 20 every single week of 2019.

The Dear Zoo Live on Stage play launched in 2018 and already nearly 85,000 children and families throughout the UK have enjoyed the performances. It also successfully toured in the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore in 2019. With World Book Day 2021 already in mind, Macmillan Children’s Books is intending to add to the list of Dear Zoo licensees across the core dressing up, soft toy, nursery, gifting and stationery sectors shortly.

 

Sensory baby lifestyle brand Etta Loves launches new Peanuts collection

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The entertainment, sport and brand licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG has secured a new partnership with the sensory baby lifestyle brand, Etta Loves, for a new collection of products inspired by the iconic Peanuts brand.

The deal has been brokered by WildBrain CPLG on behalf of Peanuts Worldwide and will see the launch of a new, unique, science-based collection to the UK from today (July 9th). The range includes a reversible playmat, comforter, teether and muslins, along with Etta Love’s latest addition, the Sensory Strip.

Tara Botwick, senior director, territory management EMEA at Peanuts Worldwide, said: “Building the Peanuts infant consumer products programme has been key to our strategy over the last few years and this new collaboration with Etta Loves offers an innovative new avenue in this sector.

“By combining beautiful patterns which encourage early sensory development, with high-quality and versatile products, we’re confident this new range will be hugely popular with parents and their little ones across the UK.”

Using the knowledge of what a baby can and can’t see during their first year, Etta Loves designs precise sensory prints, in partnership with a Consultant Orthoptist, to support eye and brain development.

This new Peanuts collection will introduce two brand new prints to the portfolio: ‘Hide & Seek’ features the Peanuts gang hidden amongst a black and white chequerboard design, supporting visual development from birth to four months; and ‘Love & Hugs’ is a colourful XO design with the much-loved Peanuts characters Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown, supporting babies from five months onwards.

The Etta Loves x Peanuts collection is available in the UK at www.ettaloves.com and selected retailers.