// Mamas & Papas eyes international expansion into Australia and Western Europe over the next coming months

// The business will then look to return to the US market in the next 18 months

Mamas & Papas has set its sights on expanding into Australia and Western Europe, before re-entering the US.

Drapers reports that the high street nursery retailer’s newly appointed CEO Nathan Williams, who was promoted from chief operating officer to CEO at the start of the year, said the business is expanding into multiple independents in Sydney and Melbourne next month, which will stock Mamas & Papas products on a wholesale basis.

The title stated that in order to facilitate its Australian expansion, the business will convert its holding warehouse in China into a replenishment warehouse for the APAC region.

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The retailer is also in talks with potential stockists in Germany and the Netherlands which will result in a revived Western Europe presence for the business in the next 12 months.

Mamas & Papas will then look to return to the US market in the next 18 months – where it last had a presence in the country in 2018, before its concession partner Babies R Us, a babywear-focused business unit of Toys R Us, fell into administration in May 2018.

In November 2019, Mamas & Papas collapsed into administration and was bought back by in a pre-pack deal by parent company Mamas & Papas Group, which resulted in six store closures.

The retailer opened its first concession in Next in November 2018 after striking a deal to capitalise on their strong customer overlap.

Mamas & Papas recently posted record Christmas trading figures, with sales up 16% in the eight weeks to 25 December as shoppers flocked to its stores during the retail sector’s crucial trading period

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