Mamas & Papas breaks into US market

Jun 18 2010 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A NURSERY products firm in Huddersfield has signed a deal to put its pushchairs in stores across America.

Colnebridge-based Mamas & Papas has signed an exclusive agreement with the US arm of Toys R Us subsidiary Babies R Us.

It means Mamas & Papas goods will be placed in 23 stores on the US East and West coasts covering the cities of Boston, New York, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Chicago.

Babies R Us has more than 340 stores across the USA – so depending on how the Mamas & Papas brand is received, the scope for expansion is substantial.

The company said it was offering a “handpicked collection” of products to give US consumers their first chance to sample the UK’s leading nursery sector brand.

The store locations include three in New York’s Manhattan district – at Times Square, Union Square and toy retailer FAO Schwarz’s flagship store on 5th Avenue.

The goods on offer include strollers, baby feeding equipment and travel accessories such as toys and “diaper” bags. The ranges will be launched in the US in the autumn.

Mamas & Papas commercial director Tim Maule said a link-up by the leading nursery brands in the UK and the USA was the ideal way for the Colnebridge firm to enter the US market.