BabyBliss Nigeria and MumsVillage Kenya have merged to form Bliss Group, a Pan-African entity designed to cater for the needs of the African mother and child. Bliss Group offers omni-channel commerce, community connection, products, and services to African pregnant women and mothers.
BabyBliss Nigeria brings deep retail and e-commerce experience in Africa’s largest economy and MumsVillage Kenya has proven strengths in building online communities and content for pregnant women and mothers.
In this new entity, Isis Nyong’o Madison, the founder of MumsVillage is now the Group CEO of Bliss Group, while Jika Nwobi is BabyBliss CEO and Millicent Muigai is MumsVillage CEO.
It is estimated that the mum and baby e-commerce opportunity currently stands at about $2 billion in Kenya and $5 billion in Nigeria. With E-commerce estimated to grow at over 60% in both markets, the Bliss Group said it recorded an even higher rate of 100% growth in the past year.
MumsVillage was launched in 2015 as a parenting website for expert advice and online community support in Kenya by Isis Nyong’o-Madison and it launched MumsVillageShop, e-commerce portal designed to provide opportunities for entrepreneurial mothers to set up online storefronts and help shoppers select the right products.
BabyBliss was launched in 2017 by CEO, Jika Nwobi. It sells products for expectant mothers and their babies from local and international manufacturers/suppliers. It received funding support from 440.ng, a venture capital firm founded by investor and Decagon founder, Chika Nwobi
As per the agreement, the partners will combine their operations in Kenya and Nigeria to establish an entity with a larger distribution network, a strategic brand presence, enhanced scale and efficiency, thereby increasing the range and quality of baby products and service offerings in the markets.
With an existing audience of approximately 300,000 pregnant women and mothers and COVID-19 accelerating the pace of growth of ecommerce in both markets, women are buying online at unprecedented rates. This approach aims to leverage on the diverse choice and convenience to African women along their motherhood journey.
Isis Nyong’o Madison, the Group CEO said,
“I’m excited to lead this new entity into meeting the changing needs of African women and showing that they are indeed a market that cannot be ignored. Bliss Group will leverage on our networks, learnings and reach to convert the financial opportunity that exists into reality by delivering not just greater shareholder value for our investors but looking to build a real powerhouse with women at the helm.”
Jika Nwobi, Nigeria CEO said,
“The BabyBliss vision has always been Pan-African, this opportunity sets us on a course to actualising that with increased momentum. We are thrilled by this merger and cannot wait to leverage the huge wealth of experience and expertise across both entities to serve our mums better while building a globally competitive African brand.”
The Bliss Group Company will be co-headquartered in Kenya and Nigeria. Understanding the need to preserve both BabyBliss Nigeria and MumsVillage Kenya’s heritage in their respective home-countries, the new company is committed to supporting the local community and continuing the relationships created in the communities in which they operate.
