Childrenswear retailer Mamas & Papas is eyeing expansion into Australia and western Europe, ahead of re-entering the US market.
The business will be expanding into a number of independents in Sydney and Melbourne next month, which will stock Mamas & Papas products on a wholesale basis, reported Drapers.
It will be converting a holding warehouse in China into a replenishment warehouse for the APAC region in order to facilitate the Australian expansion.
Mamas & Papas is also in talks with potential stockists in Germany and the Netherlands, before looking to return to the US market in the next 18 months.
The company has been busy building its concession model in the UK – it now has 25 Next ‘shop in shops’, as well as three in M&S and one in Arnotts in Dublin.
This is supplemented by 22 standalone Mamas & Papas stores in the UK and 25 franchise stores in Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates – which account for 75% of international sales. It also has a presence in other regions including Israel, Turkey and Korea.
Nathan Williams, who was promoted to ceo of the business in January, told Drapers that Mamas & Papas is looking to open another five to 10 concessions in the next two to three years, mainly in the south of England.
Nathan said the lockdown restrictions of 2020 allowed Mamas & Papas to “pause and recalibrate” its business strategy and grow its digital presence. Online sales now account for 40% of the brand’s total sales.
“In the last 12 months in particular, we have taken the time to really understand what it is that we are here to do, what is our purpose,” he commented.
