The retail plans to set up 200 stores (company-owned and franchise shops) by end of this fiscal
The retail through its baby care and parenting brand MeeMee also offers a large variety of products in different categories including skin and oral care, feeding, infant utility accessories, travel, nursery, toys, fashion, and maternity
National, December 07, 2021: As part of its expansion plan, kids and maternity wear retailer, Me N Moms, opened 12 new stores today across India. Three stores were opened in Hyderabad, Telangana; two in Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh; two in Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida), UP; one each in Bhatinda, Ludhiana and Amritsar, Punjab; one in Kolkata, West Bengal; and one in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Among these, Noida has got the biggest outlet at the DLF Mall of India, while Gaur City Mall, Greater Noida West in its vicinity also saw the opening of one.
The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably accelerated sales on e-commerce platforms. But when it comes to clothing, for many who look for perfection, the right fit, the right colour, and the right material, remains a great concern while making purchases online. When buying for newborns, infants, and children, parents become even fussy. They have the right reasons—baby products need to be delicate and safe. To reach out to parents looking for good quality but reasonably priced products, Me N Moms, is continuing with its vigorous geographical expansion plan in the country despite the pandemic lull.
The retail, which currently has 135 stores operational in 69 cities of India, will inaugurate 20 more soon in another seven cities. The brand plans to set up 200 stores by the end of this fiscal, which will be both company-owned and franchise shops.
“Baby care and parenting range had been restricted to the upper echelon of the society due to its premium pricing, but every infant deserves a safe and sound growth during his early years. They should not be deprived of it because of the pandemic,” says Mr. Naresh Khatar, Managing Director Me N Moms, who had in 1989 first opened a modest-sized store Mamta Collection in the suburbs of Mumbai. The interest of parents in the store prompted him to set up a distribution chain for baby care products. And on May 8, 1994, the first flagship store of Me N Moms Private Limited came up in Juhu. Today, the brand is the country’s only label that offers products in every category of childcare and mother care available across all Me N Moms outlets and also in more than 10,000 leading baby stores and chemist shops across the country.
The retail through its baby care and parenting brand MeeMee also offers a large variety of products in different categories including skin and oral care, feeding, infant utility accessories, travel, nursery, toys, fashion, and maternity. In 2007, we launched MeeMee with a small product line that was sensibly priced to make it affordable to a larger section of people. “The international quality and the affordable price range made MeeMee a popular label amongst the consumers.”
The company is now getting more demands for specialised products which include compact breast pumps for working mothers, heat sensor spoon, nail clipper with a magnifying glass, squeezy silicone feeder, unique finger brush with cover for babies, unique forehead thermometer for babies, and one-way nappy liners to keep away babies from rashes.
“Indian parents are now more aware of the need for nursing and baby care products but overall awareness of using safe and hygienic products for babies and mothers is very low if compared to international first-world markets. In India, a mother in a small town is not aware of the benefits of breastfeeding her baby and follows traditional advice in case of any problem. Also, high prices of specialized products keep them restricted to the upper echelon of society. So our aim has always been to bring out products which would support a mother when she is expecting till her child is three years old,” says Mr. Khatar.
With its expansion to new cities and towns, Me N Moms which at present has more than 950 employees is also creating new employment opportunities and encouraging local talents to be a part of developing innovative products of international standards (ASTM, EN, BIS & ISI certifies) which would be perfect in the foundation years of a baby’s life. The brand has a unique franchise model, where the store is handed over to the franchisee after the setup is put in place and sufficient training is given. This gives autonomy to the franchise owner while at the same time it ensures that they do not compromise on quality. The products undergo rigorous tests before being put on sale.