Mamas & Papas in Japanese deal
YORKSHIRE baby brand Mamas & Papas is set to unlock a new £12m market in the Far East after signing a deal with Japan’s biggest nursery products manufacturer.
The Huddersfield-based family-owned business is to work with Japanese group Pigeon Corporation to distribute its products, which include baby goods such as prams as well as maternity clothes across a market where almost one million babies are born every year.
Mamas & Papas, which was founded by husband and wife team David and Luisa Scacchetti in 1981, now boasts a turnover of £115m a year and has 1,000 staff and 36 stores in the UK with another four openings planned this year.
It supplies 250 independent retailers in the UK as well as Argos and Littlewoods and it also has 15 stores in the Middle East with new store launches due for Russia.
Pigeon Corporation has turnover of more than £330m a year, was founded in 1957 and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is the leading manufacturer of baby and parental care products in Japan and exports to 55 countries.
Mamas & Papas has estimated that the deal could open up new sales of around 
2bn Japanese yen, more than £12m.
Richard Faulkner, deputy chief executive of Mamas & Papas, said: “Pigeon, like Mamas & Papas, are a well established market leader in their domestic market and are rapidly increasing their international portfolio .The coming together of two highly regarded global brands will add strength to both organisations.
“As an Italian design-led British based business of long standing we understand the importance of and have a reputation for fostering long term relationships and we warmly welcome Pigeon into our family owned and operated enterprise. This deal heralds the start of what will be a long and successful relationship which we hope will develop and advance towards greater business opportunities within the Japanese market.”
Akio Okoshi, president and chief operating officer of Pigeon Corporation, said: “We are very pleased with this business opportunity to enter into the exclusive distribution agreement with Mamas & Papas who are highly valued and respected in the UK.
” We believe that the fashionability and well designed products by Mamas & Papas would be readily accepted by Japanese consumers and I expect that this partnership between Mamas & Papas and Pigeon will produce new growth for both companies.”
Mamas & Papas is in final stage negotiations with potential franchise operators in Greece, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Poland and is in talks with potential partners in the USA and India.
Mamas & Papas recently received the International Franchise Operator of the Year award from global trade magazine Retail & Leisure International and has been recognised as one of the top 10 private companies to watch in The Sunday Times PricewaterhouseCoopers Profit Track 100 awards.
