Mamas & Papas secures funding deal

Mamas & Papas, which was acquired by private equity firm Bluegem Capital Partners ten years ago, has secured funding from OakNorth to aid ongoing growth.

Founded in 1981 by David and Luisa Scacchetti and based in Huddersfield, Mamas & Papas now has 60 stores and concessions across the country, as well as operations in 23 countries through various wholesale channels.

The business was acquired in 2014 by existing OakNorth customer, Bluegem Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in London, which invests in European brands and businesses.

Mamas & Papas, which reported sales growth of 14% to £144m in its 2023 financial year, is set to report another record financial year with continued increases in sales and profits.

Nathan Williams, ceo of Mamas & Papas, said: “Over recent years, Mamas & Papas has continued to build momentum across all areas of the business, including our store footprint, digital offering, domestic market and overseas partnerships, helping us win a record share of the market and build our reputation as a purpose-led, parent-centric brand. OakNorth’s relationship-based approach to lending meant Stuart and his team were able to create a funding package that solves all our funding requirements under one facility.”

Mathieu Develay, partner at Bluegem Capital Partners, said: “Mamas & Papas is one of the most well known and loved premium baby brands in the UK, and a haven for expectant parents. We were excited to acquire the business in 2014, and a decade on, we’ve been privileged to have a front-row seat as it has continued to go from strength to strength. Having worked with OakNorth before, we felt they’d be the ideal partner to support us with this transaction.”

Stuart Blair, director of debt finance at OakNorth, added: “This is a very exciting transaction for OakNorth as it emphasises our strong ambitions to do more to support the UK’s retail sector moving forward. Given the expected growth in the UK nursery and baby products market, Mamas & Papas is well positioned to capture further market share and continue building its omni-channel presence.

“In Bluegem, they have a strong, long-term backer with an excellent track record in supporting retail and consumer brands across a range of sector verticals.”

MORE NEWS
BebecarBabyCentral500x500
 
Baby Central has confirmed the acquisition of exclusive distribution rights to the Bébécar range of prams, pushchairs and car seats from Bébécar UK, effective from 1 March 2025....
Minikid4Axkid500x500
 
Swedish car seat and accessory brand Axkid has announced the launch of its latest innovation in car seat safety, the Minikid 4 Pro and Minikid 4 Max....
OTT25500x500
 
Wooden toy specialist, Orange Tree Toys is to launch a raft of ‘innovative and imaginative’ new products for 2025, marking the significant milestone of its 25th anniversary....
Spielwarenmesse500x500
 
This year’s Spielwarenmesse (28 Jan–1 Feb), Nuremberg’s annual global toy industry event, succeeded in matching last year’s very high numbers, with new networking formats and the high-quality international visitor profile among the elements singled out for praise by exhibitors....
CosattoGiggle4500x500
 
The recent launch of Cosatto’s highly anticipated Giggle 4 has exceeded all expectations, selling out faster than any previous product in the brand's history....
KyteBaby
 
Kyte Baby, known for its ultra-soft and sustainable baby and children’s sleepwear, has announced the launch of its latest collections: Bee Mine and Love Bug....
Get the latest news sent to your inbox
Subscribe to our daily newsletter

The list doesn't exist! Make sure you have imported the list on the 'Manage List Forms' page.