News 12 Retailer Profile 65 New Products 66 The Baby Products Association

Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us return with digital flagship launchFollowing a successful relaunch of Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us in Australia, Toys“R”Us ANZ Limited (ASX: TOY), and WHP Global, the parent company of Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us, are overjoyed to announce their renewed presence in the United Kingdom with the launch of their digital flagship ecommerce websites ToysRUs.co.uk and BabiesRUs. co.uk. Dr. Louis Mittoni, CEO and Managing Director of Toys“R”Us ANZ, the exclusive license partner for Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us in Australia and the UK said: “This important event is an acknowledgment of our devotion to the Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us brands, and testimony to the fantastic working relationship with worldwide brand owner WHP Global.

“The momentum behind the Toys“R”Us brand and its return to key markets including the UK and United States has been phenomenal. We are in early innings for what customers can expect from both Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us as we head into 2023,” said Yehuda Shmidman, Chairman and CEO of WHP Global and Toys“R”Us.

Toys“R”Us UK launches with a massive range of products on the Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us flagship sites from more than 300 brands and is aiming to further enhance the customer experience with additional engaging content and product differentiation.

“Tailoring our successful Australian relaunch plan to the UK echoes the success of other e-commerce platform play businesses that have delivered growth and value due to their ability to quickly and cost effectively expand their software, processes, partner relationships and brands into new countries. Since Toys“R”Us’ return to Australia in June 2019, we have scaled quickly as customers returned to the muchloved brand and our e-commerce model has proven its success,” added Mittoni.

Mike Coogan, Marketing Director of Toys“R”Us UK, said: “It is a very exciting time for Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us and we cannot wait to reclaim our position with British shoppers as the premiere supplier of the very best toys, games, and babycare products for parents and children.”

East Coast

Nursery support Air Ambulance

As a proud supporter East Coast Nursery funds essential paediatric harnesses.

East Anglian Air Ambulance provides hospital level care for people whose lives are at risk from accident or injury delivering a portable A&E unit to patients, at the point they need it most. The charity receives no government funding and relies solely on the general public to raise the £17m it needs each year.

East Coast Nursery is a proud, long term supporter of the charity and has recently funded a set of 4 paediatric harnesses to help aid the safe transfer of babies and young children during flight. Only the most seriously ill children are transferred by helicopter, perhaps having suffered major trauma or cardiac arrest. The harnesses will help secure children safely for flight whilst offering the freedom for ongoing treatment to take place until they reach the hospital. This gives them the best chance for a positive outcome.

www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Ickle Bubba’s CFO, Ieuan Rowell, appointed as Managing Director

Following a review of the ongoing and future needs of the award winning nursery brand, Ieuan Rowell has been appointed as Managing Director of Ickle Bubba.

Having worked alongside founder, Fran Vaughan, for five years, Ieuan will now lead the business with the rest of the senior leadership team as they focus on continued growth and expansion within key territories.

Commenting on his appointment to Managing Director, Ieuan Rowell, said: “It’s been great working with Fran over the past few years, helping Ickle Bubba become such a successful brand in the Nursery market. Whilst leading the finance function has been part of this, I’ve already built some great relationships with our suppliers and customers, as well as being involved in the digital and marketing arena. I’m so proud of where the team has already got us to and am really energised to now lead the business into the next phase of delivery of our strategic vision.”

www.icklebubba.com

Promotions at

JMDA signify new growth stage

JMDA Design is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Carter to Managing Director and Chris Raynor to the position of Operations Director at their UK Headquarters in Pershore, Worcestershire. Their roles signify a new growth phase for the business, as their success within the product design industry continues.

Derrick Barker, Co-founder and Director at JMDA Design says, “We are delighted to announce that both Chris Carter and Chris Raynor will take on new roles within the JMDA team. Supporting our clients with their new design projects has always been at the core of everything we do and having a management team to coordinate the day-to-day running of the business will further streamline our processes. Congratulations on your new roles!”

JMDA Design, established in 1991, is an award-winning product design agency with two Red Dot Awards for Product Design Concepts. JMDA was also awarded The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise: International Trade 2019 for their success and commitment to child car seat safety globally.

Fourth store opening for Newbie and Me

Newbie and Me Baby Store will be officially opening the doors on Monday the 21st of November in Solihull, Birmingham.

The new store is located at 245 Stratford Road, Shirley, opposite Shirley park, and will bring expecting parents and carers a world of sort-after brands for prams, strollers, car seats, and nursery furniture.

Currently located in Telford, Leeds, and Crewe, Newbie and Me Baby Store’s growth has been rapid over the past 5-years, thanks to brothers Ameer and Aqeel Karim. Their forwardthinking approach to the modern nursery market has given parents and parents to be, a place to explore a wide range of products with a powerful social media presence to back it up.

Customers can expect household brand names such as Silver Cross, Egg, Oyster, Nuna, Joie, iCandy, Cybex, Cosatto, Bugaboo, Venicci, and many more. The store will have a range of products to try out, both in-store and out – Boot test prams with on-site parking or use the in-store test track with dierent terrains.

“When I first became a parent, I was disappointed with the lack of options available in stores, and the knowledge of the sta. I not only wanted a better experience for myself, but also for others. So we created Newbie and Me in 2017 with a vision of providing a better store experience for parents.” – Ameer Karim.

“It was important for us not to be just another baby retailer, as there are so many around these days. But to give expecting parents a place to try all the products in one place and have experts on-hand to answer any questions”. – Aqeel Karim

Mary Wood appointed MD

Following a review of the ongoing and future needs of the business, Mary Wood has been appointed as Managing Director of TOMY’s UK & GAS businesses with immediate effect.

With over three decade’s worth of experience in the toy industry, including roles at Mattel, Zapf Creation, Halsall Toys International Ltd and Vivid Imaginations, Mary’s new role includes responsibility for the Exeter based IT, Finance, Credit Control, Operations, Demand Planning & HR teams in addition to her current responsibilities for UK & Central Marketing, UK Sales plus GAS Sales & Marketing.

Greg Kilrea, President for TOMY International said: “Mary has done an outstanding job during her five year tenure with us, and has been an integral part of our success in the UK where we have grown our core brands and turned the corner on profitability.”

Mary, previously UK General Manager, added: “I feel very honoured to be promoted to this role. It’s a great opportunity to get all of our teams to work more closely together so we can continue to build scale and profile in all areas of our European business, and I hope, have a little fun along the way!

“Achieving results is critical but how we achieve them, and how we support our team members is as important. We have a number of very experienced people in our team as well as new members – everyone has a role to play in making TOMY a great place to work.”

partnership with Next Plc

From Left: David Hester, Richard Harrison, Jens de Voogd Changes to Enesco team

Enesco are delighted to announce some significant changes to their UK and European sales team further strengthening their mission to offer the best service to their customers around the globe.

Firstly, Enesco would like to welcome David Hester as a National Account Manager (or Dave as he prefers to be known) to the Enesco UK Sales Team. Dave is an experienced National Account Manager and brings with him extensive knowledge gained during his most recent roles with Kinetico and Grunwerg. Dave will work from his home in Harrogate and will be responsible for accounts such as F. Hinds, Argos and Shop Direct.

They would also like to announce the promotion of Richard Harrison and Jens de Voogd to Field Sales Managers.

Richard will be leading the UK field sales team having joined Enesco over twenty years ago, beginning his career as a Regional Display Assistant. Richard has worked as an Area Sales Manager for the last seventeen years, seeing many changes, advances in technology and many thousands of new products. His dedication to the company and his customers is key to his recent promotion.

Jens, having joined Enesco during the pandemic as Export Sales Manager for the Netherlands, will now take on the additional responsibilities as Field Sales Manager for Europe, supporting his colleagues across Germany and the wider European Market.

www.enesco.co.uk

KIDLY Ltd., the online kids retailer for 0-5s, has entered into an agreement to sell a curated edit of its own label collection, KIDLY Label, through the NEXT platform.

The partnership will be the first time that the KIDLY Label collection will be available to customers outside KIDLY’s own channels.

Through the agreement, a selected product range will be available through NEXT’s UK and international online platforms. The initial range will consist of best-selling lines from KIDLY Label’s Autumn/Winter ‘22 range, including daywear, sleepwear, footwear and outerwear. Committed to sustainability, the range is made from recycled and natural materials, including 100% GOTScertified organic cotton, with OEKO-TEX-certified dyes.

The partnership will allow KIDLY to increase brand awareness further across its target market, deliver incremental sales and access new international markets.

“This partnership represents an exciting next step in the growth of KIDLY Label,” said KIDLY CEO and Founder, James Hart. “This is the first time our products are available outside the KIDLY ecosystem and we are thrilled to be partnering with one of the UK’s best-loved retailers. We’ve worked closely with the NEXT team to deliver a collection that will add our design-led and sustainable products to their already impressive kids’ range and we look forward to seeing the reaction from NEXT customers.”

Nanit now available from BabyBase

Nanit launched in 2016 with the idea that the right technology could make life a little more manageable for new parents, by connecting them to their child’s development and well-being.

The suite of products lets parents track the health, wellness and development of their baby—from sleep and breathing to growth and milestones—delivering personalized insights and advice via their best-inclass app.

The world’s most advanced baby camera lets parents see everything that is happening in and around the crib in real-time. And the app turns everything it captures into personalized insights and sleep coaching tips, helping parents understand baby’s sleep routine and quality on a deeper level—and improve it.

Connection is the key to a happy, healthy family life. The app allows users to create parenting teams of grandparents and other caregivers. Parents can share their baby’s insights with paediatricians. And the Nanit Community of like-minded parents and expert content is an exciting space where people can go to listen, learn, laugh and connect.

Nanit is very pleased to announce that the full Nanit range is now available to the Independent trade, exclusively from BabyBase!

Please contact the team at BabyBase for more information: www.babybase.co.uk

More information on Nanit can be found on www.nanit.com

Sales surge for M&P despite cost of living challenge for consumers

Mamas & Papas, one of the leading high street nursery brands, said continued expansion of its UK retail space was driving strong sales growth despite a challenging environment for consumers.

The group, which designs, wholesales and retails nursery and baby products, increased revenues 17% in the six months to September. It opened 10 new concessions under its strategic partnership with retailer Next in the same period, with a further three to follow in H2 alongside three new concessions with Marks & Spencer.

Sales at its online business also grew quickly despite its focus on new physical space, which it said demonstrated the demand for its brand as well as the resilience of the sector.

The Group posted sales of £126m in its last full financial year ended 27th March 2022, up 35% on the previous year. Full year profits increased to £11m (ebitda) and £6.8m (PBT).

Mamas & Papas said it was also expanding its range of travel systems, nursery furniture and children’s clothing, with an increased focus on entry-level price points.

Mark Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of Mamas & Papas, said: “Whilst there are undoubtedly challenges from the continuing cost of living crisis and emerging economic downturn, the nursery products market has always proven its resilience due to being far less discretionary than other non-food retail sectors. “Combined with our momentum in the market and the loyalty of our customers, this is giving us confidence to continue investing in our garowth strategy, including our strategic partnerships with Next and Marks & Spencer, as well as investing in our communities and colleagues through our ESG agenda.” He added: “Whether it’s through our website or in-store, our goal is to become the most accessible nursery brand with an unrivalled commitment to our customers.” Earlier this year, Mamas & Papas introduced a new circularity strategy to help reduce the amount of clothing sent to landfill each year, including a new store-based take-back scheme under its partnership with charity Oxfam.

Must visit for new and expectant mums

Graco, baby products specialist, has launched ‘The Graco Village’ to bring together leading experts in post-natal emotional and physical care, parenting media, communities and influencers to provide a destination where parents can get advice and feel less alone. Graco has worked with Mother & Baby and Dadsnet to understand the emotional and physical journey for parents during the first 12 weeks post-partum — also known as ‘The 4th Trimester’.

The Graco Village aims to equip new parents with advice and support. It includes help on handling emotional stability from The Naked Midwives and the perinatal charity, PANDAS, alongside physical repair advice from experts Lansinoh and maternal fitness expert Nicole Chapman – because it takes a Village to raise a child.

gracobaby.eu

Weaning with less mess made easy with BLW Essentials

BLW Essentials are on a mission to provide high quality, non-toxic, practical and stylish products to aid the weaning journey.

Their range of feeding essentials are designed with little ones in mind, making them a great aid for little ones developing the motor skills to self-feed. Their best-selling feeding sets include 8 pieces and are made from 100% food-grade silicone which have been tested and comply with FDA standards and are BPA free, lead free, phthalate free and do not contain any filers, making it safe for little ones.

So, no more plates or bowls on the floor with their suction base plates and bowls, and no more food in little one laps with their coveralls and food catcher bibs.

For further information email the below.

contact@blwessentials.com www.blwessentials.com

Safe for baby. Safe for the planet.

Alba Do more together

Nesta Lasts a lifetime

Iora Air There by your side

Signs of growth

Little Angels began as a tiny bean - much like a baby - selling just 2-3 brands, in a small shop, with only one member of staff. But from those humble beginnings, with the right loving care and attention, Little Angels soon began to grow its wings, moving twice due to the expansion of the business. Nursery Today had the pleasure to catch up with owner Kelly Carter to find out more.

Can you tell us a little about Little Angels? What was the inspiration behind opening your doors?

Little Angels is a family-run one-stopshop for everything you need to support a growing family. We primarily sell pushchairs, prams, strollers and car seats, but online we also sell everything else a baby needs, such as nursery furniture, toys and mealtime and bathtime products.

The inspiration came when I had my second child and found I was struggling to get all the information I needed from the shops I visited.

The lack of parenting information in these stores gave me the idea and the drive to open my own shop, providing products as well as informative, helpful advice on some of the most important purchases parents will ever buy. Since then, it appears you rapidly outgrew your premises, what was the decision behind relocating from Ilkeston to Radford?

I found a bigger store, in a fantastic location with great parking. Do you offer the same items online as you do instore?

Yes, but obviously we have a lot more stock on our website than we have on the shop floor. Now in your eighth year of trading as Little Angels, have you run any in-store events or promotions to celebrate your third birthday at the Radford store?

The third birthday offers are up and running, until Sunday, November 27, inclusive of Black Friday, opening 10am-4pm on weekdays and Sundays and 10am-5pm on Saturdays.

The event will offer savings on many ranges of pushchairs, meaning shoppers could save up to £350 on some standard priced travel systems in-store. Representatives from leading suppliers will also be on hand to give advice, with goodie bags and refreshments to celebrate. Since opening, what has been your largest challenge and also your biggest success?

finding the right staff, but I have now found an absolutely amazing team I am happy with. I’m also dyslexic, but I embrace it and I joke about it. If you take the awkwardness out of the situation, you have already got past the first hurdle. I just take a little longer to work things out.

The biggest success is the business in general - I never thought I’d accomplish anything I’ve accomplished. You say you have gone from £100,000-a-year turnover upon launching, to a multi-million-pound business. How has this been achieved?

Hard work, dedication and an amazing team. Has the level of your customer service and social media activity played a part in this growth?

I would say my customer service has played the biggest part in it, because a lot of our customers have been referred by other people. We have not really been present on social media, so we have kind of done it the oldfashioned way, though we will be

adding to our social media presence. Do you have a particular product category where you view yourselves as specialists in your field of expertise?

We are specialists in pushchairs and car seats. My motto is ‘whether you are coming to buy a £100 pushchair or a £1,500 pushchair, customers will still get the same service’. How and why are nursery brands important to your business?

Putting the supplier to the side, using pushchairs as an example, the product is extremely important for the parents more than anything - it gets them from A to B, offers them flexibility and makes their own lives more comfortable by having a pushchair. The brands are great, because people love a trusted brand, which I completely understand.

Pushchairs to new parents mean everything - they are putting the most precious thing in the world in it and it’s helping them get around. Are you experiencing a difference in the way your customers are currently shopping for nursery items?

We are finding a little bit of an increase in interest in more reasonably priced pushchairs. We are doing our best to find quality at the best price, but we do like to cover all aspects of the spectrum - from best-priced to mid-range to high-end.

People are being a lot more savvy with their money - that’s understandable, even I am. Do you feel that your customers are researching more online and have a better understanding of what they require when visiting your store?

Yes, customers are definitely researching the products online - I would probably say about 90 per cent of my customers, but they are coming in quite confident.

However, you can never get a good feel of a product when you are looking at so many different varieties. When it comes to the pushchair industry, it’s extremely important for them to come in and physically see something, because the majority of the time they will buy something different. Is there a particular category that you feel enables you to upsell?

No, because I don’t upsell - I give customers what they are asking for. How do you keep abreast of new product launches or current consumer trends?

We just keep an eye on what’s on the market, and attend shows like Harrogate, and can always see what people are researching on Google. Did you attend Harrogate this year and if so, why is this important to you and your business?

As my son was poorly, my husband did. It’s important to see what the new products are that are being released, and the prices. It’s so important for shops to go because they get deals with suppliers for bulk buys. If you did attend did you find any new to onboard any news brands or products that you saw? Yes, we ordered lots. How important is your website and social media to your business?

They are extremely important. We do get a lot of sales through the website and obviously, people can just look at the website in the comfort of their own home and purchase products. Finally, are there any exciting plans on the horizon that you would like to share with Nursery Today readers?

We are expanding the shop! It’s going to be ginormous. It’s currently 5,000 sq ft, and we will eventually have 15,000sq ft. We will be able to stock more nursery furniture.