Mahindra Retail to expand Destination Maternity brand

22 Apr '09

3 min read

Destination Maternity Corporation, the world's leading maternity apparel retailer, announced its planned expansion into India through an international franchise agreement with Mahindra Retail, part of the Mahindra Group, to introduce its Motherhood Maternity, Destination Maternity, and A Pea in the Pod brands into India. Destination Maternity will initially make its product available for sale through Mahindra Retail's exciting, new Mom & Me stores in India. Mahindra Group is one of the leading industrial companies in India with operations in several key sectors of the Indian economy.

Mom & Me stores offer a unique retail environment for expecting mothers, mothers, infants and children up to the age of nine with an extensive range of products including maternity wear, infants and kids fashion, educational & activity toys and games, wellness products for mothers and babies, nursery furniture and furnishings, travel and safety products and much more.

Destination Maternity previously announced, in October 2008, that it had signed its first international franchise agreement to introduce its brands into six key markets in the Middle East. The first Destination Maternity branded retail locations in the Middle East are expected to open during 2009.

Under the multi-year franchise agreement for India, Destination Maternity has granted to Mahindra Retail the exclusive rights to operate branded retail locations and market merchandise under the Company's Motherhood Maternity, Destination Maternity, and A Pea in the Pod brands in India.

Currently, Mahindra Retail has opened 5 Mom & Me locations carrying Motherhood Maternity product in the Indian cities of Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Pune and New Delhi. Mahindra will exclusively purchase maternity and nursing apparel merchandise from Destination Maternity or suppliers designated by Destination Maternity. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Ed Krell, Chief Executive Officer of Destination Maternity, commented, "We are very excited to announce our expansion into India. Through our partnership with Mahindra Retail, with their breadth of experience and strong reputation in India, we will be able to bring our brands into this rapidly emerging market. We are thrilled to introduce our brands to the growing population of new moms-to-be in India who love to shop and have an ever increasing need for high-quality, fashionable maternity apparel.

This new relationship is another important step in our Company's continued evolution into the global leader in the maternity apparel space. With the strength of our brands and our merchandise, combined with Mahindra Retail's strong retail experience and local knowledge, we believe that this business will become the leading maternity apparel retailer in India, just as we are the leading maternity apparel retailer in the United States."

K. Venkataraman, Managing Director of Mahindra Retail added, "We are delighted to partner with Destination Maternity on their entry into India, and also in bringing their fine quality maternity fashion to moms-to-be in India. The experience of Destination Maternity, combined with the unique Mom & Me stores launched by Mahindra Retail to cater exclusively to moms, moms-to-be and kids, will provide the ideal platform for growing the maternity apparel and nursing products business in India. Both companies will work together to create new labels of ethnic maternity wear to enlarge the market scope and increase customer choice & satisfaction."

Destination Maternity Corporation

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