We are currently working with Bebemon, a Spanish brand of nursery products. They have kindly agreed for us to reproduce the following article regarding market research and exports. Enjoy!
Bebemon has been in the market for only four years, but the firm already has plans to enter European and Latin American countries. As explained by its commercial director, José Antonio Gómez, the goal is to bring practical and innovative products for parents worldwide.
Bebemon is a young company, born in 2007, that had to face the global crisis very early. Did you need to adapt your initial plans because of this? 
Bebemon has bet since the beginning for design, quality and comfort in its articles. As “new blood” in the sector, we wanted to bring also innovation and technology, as seen in the baby carrier X-Music and other designs that we will soon release.
The crisis has not changed our plans, but it has accelerated them. If we had a multi-year schedule for international expansion, once Bebemon brand was established in the domestic market, we are now forced to seek European and South American markets. That is, we have to introduce and consolidate our position at the same time in different countries. We start from a good base: the product design is attractive. But is difficult to undertake it all at once: allocating time, effort and money to meet various objectives.
What are your short and medium term goals?
The mentioned entries into Europe and South America. They are different and we know that countries like Italy, France, Netherlands and Germany will receive well our Noname bags, the Oasis travel cot or the innovative Baby Puff. Why? Because of the design, distinctly Spanish and with international projection, which is the value that complements the functionality of our products. We play a wide range of colours linked to the latest trends, so it’s hard to go wrong. With the South American market, the challenge is greater, as the influence of the United States in a matter of taste is also bigger. But we hope to enter adapting to those trends.
Another goal is to keep innovating and to help parents with a differential touch that may not be immediate, but that is enriching for the baby. For example, in the case of the baby carrier X-Music, listening to music through the sound system contributes to early stimulation.
What trends do you think will be the most important in the childcare sector in the coming years?
Parents are basically looking for security and convenience. Bebemon meets all European safety standards and is audited by AIJU, the toy technology centre, which is a benchmark in the Spanish industry. We also do a practical ergonomic study before each product is launched, and we introduce details: a hidden pocket for water bottles, three bibs in the carrier, a mosquito net for travel cots… These are things that parents see when they have the product in their hands or they consult features online.
Other aspects that parents value and, by extension, the industry, is the quality of materials. Knowing that the material will endure the harsh activities of the baby’s life -that is something that is also seen with the product in hands, and that our company takes care of.
Finally, the presence on the Internet. The childcare sector, like many others, must increase its online presence. Today parents look for information online and most complete their purchases at specialty stores. Bebemon Facebook page opened early this year and in less than six months we have over 800 followers, which gives us an idea of how our product is well received in Spain. This year we have opened a blog and we have more than 5,000 monthly visits. We believe that traditional stores have to work combining the online and the physical store, a mixture that can assure success in the coming years.
update: 7th January 2012: we are delighted that Bebemon now have a distributor in the UK, one great success for Sunny Sky Solutions!
