Booming online business and concessions sales at nursery retailer

Nursery and childrenswear retailer Mamas & Papas said sales over the eight weeks to 26 December were up 30% on the previous year and 35% on 2019.

The Huddersfield-headquartered company says its figures were buoyed by new store openings, product launches and an enhanced online presence.

The business, which designs and makes travel systems, nursery furniture and children’s clothing, said some of its strongest selling categories had been furniture and travel systems, where it made significant market share gains.

Its current year sales to end of December are up 32% on the prior year, with profit more than double the previous year.

Online business played a major role in this success, whilst the company’s new Next concessions traded ahead of plan.

In its latest set of annual accounts for the 12 months ended 28 March 2021, the retailer reported sales of £93.1m and profit of £4.7m, which it said marked “an historic turnaround” following several loss-making years.

It said a number of cost reduction measures – as well as innovations across its stores, product ranges and online business – had helped restore profitability.

Over the past 18 months, the business has created at least 100 new roles to support its expansion, with more planned over the coming 12 months. It currently employs around 700 people in total.

Mark Saunders, chief executive officer, said: “There’s real momentum across the business, which is the culmination of a lot of hard work optimising our product ranges, customer service, store operations, property estate, online business and international presence.

“With more Next concessions planned for the coming year and more new product and service innovations, we’re hugely excited about the prospects for the coming year.”