Singapore, 18 January 2024 – Marking a significant shift in the landscape of the parenting retail industry in Southeast Asia, The Parentinc, a pioneering parent-tech leader renowned for owning the largest content-community-commerce online platform for parents in the region, has officially completed the acquisition of Motherswork, the distinguished luxury retailer for mum, baby, and kids’ products in Singapore and China. This acquisition comes on the heels of recent high-profile IPOs from mother and baby brands such as First Cry and Mamaearth, setting a compelling precedent for The Parentinc’s ascent into the ranks of these notable companies.
Motherswork stands as a premier omni-channel retailer specialising in premium mother, baby, and kids’ products with two stores in Singapore and 10 in China. Since launching in 1998, Motherswork has become synonymous with quality and excellence, offering customers in every stage of parenthood a curated selection of over 300 esteemed brands, with the exclusive distribution of 20 brands including Avent, Joolz and Stokke.
The Parentinc’s flagship media brand, theAsianparent, reaches multiple million of users monthly across SEA via its website and app. Mama’s Choice, The Parentinc’s second homegrown brand launched four years ago offering safe, natural, and Halal products for pregnancy, nursing, baby care, and household use, has already achieved remarkable success as the leading mum and baby personal care store on Tokopedia, Lazada, Shopee, and Tiktok Shops across the region. In 2022, The Parentinc acquired Webtretho, Vietnam’s largest online community platform for women.
The acquisition of Motherswork signifies a pivotal moment for The Parentinc as it positions itself firmly on the trajectory towards an initial public offering by bolstering its commitment to building a self-sustaining content, community, and commerce ecosystem for parents in SEA. While The Parentinc has established remarkable success online, Motherswork will play a pivotal role in expanding the company’s offline presence by opening up more Motherswork stores in key markets in the region, including Vietnam, where Mama’s Choice will be distributed exclusively by Motherswork.
Roshni Mahtani Cheung, Group CEO and Founder of The Parentinc, shares her enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “While we have done a dramatic job of capturing the hearts and minds of the online market, 70% of retail in SEA is still predominantly done through offline. That’s why we are very excited to have our own brand stores through this acquisition as it will further refine our content to community to commerce business model, which not many companies have pulled off successfully. We aim to be among those successful few. We are also equally enthusiastic to bring our offering of media solutions to all of the partners at Motherswork, aiming to improve the lives of mums and help them raise happy, healthy, and confident kids.”
Sharon Wong, Founder and CEO of Motherswork, echoes the same sentiment: “Motherswork is a well-established brand for premium mother, baby, and kids’ products in Singapore and China. This acquisition will enable Motherswork to expand its footprint into the other countries in Southeast Asia through The Parentinc. I certainly look forward to the combined synergies of our two organisations which will enable the Group to scale to greater heights.”
The strategic move will demonstrate The Parentinc’s commitment to charting a path towards sustained growth and market leadership in the ever-evolving parenting landscape, and aligns with the recent high-profile IPOs within the mother and baby sector. As Mamaearth’s current IPO valuation is set at US$1.2 billion, and FirstCry, which filed for IPO in December 2023, is anticipated to set its valuation between US$3.5 billion to US$3.75 billion, the acquisition of Motherswork by The Parentinc sets the stage for a dynamic blend of online and offline retail expertise, promising a bright future for both entities and the parenting industry they serve.
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About The Parentinc (also known as Tickled Media Pte. Ltd.)
The Parentinc is one of Asia’s fastest-growing tech companies headquartered in Singapore. Its flagship brand, theAsianparent, is Southeast Asia’s largest content and community platform for parents, with a reach of over 30 million users and an app store rating of 4.9 stars (download the app here). The company also owns Vietnam’s largest social network for women, Webtretho (visit here), and highest ranked app for parents, Bé Yêu (download the app here). The Parentinc also owns and operates direct to consumer brand Mama’s Choice, which manufactures and retails safe, natural, and Halal pregnancy, nursing, baby care, and household products that are designed and tested in Singapore for families in Asia (shop here).
The Parentinc investors include: Central Retail Corporation, East Ventures, Fosun International, Global Grand Leisure, JD.com, LINE SEA Corp., Mirae Asset-Naver New Growth Fund, Redbadge Pacific, SCB 10X, Tigris Capital, Vertex Ventures, and WHG Holdings.
About Motherswork
Established in 1998, Motherswork is a leading omni-channel retailer of premium mother, baby, and kids’ products. The company has two stores in Singapore and 10 in China, representing over 300 esteemed brands, including 20 exclusive brands for distribution. Driven by years of research and a commitment to excellence, Motherswork has evolved into a comprehensive, multi-channel destination, providing a seamless shopping experience for parents seeking the very best for their children at every stage of parenthood.
In 2023, Motherswork celebrates 25 years of empowering women who embark on the extraordinary journey that is motherhood. Guided by love, passion, and the pursuit of excellence, Motherswork continues to enrich the lives of mothers everywhere, fostering a vibrant and supportive community fueled by meaningful connections and curated brand experiences that unite mothers with the brands they adore.
Visit and shop at motherswork.com.sg!
For media enquiries:
Carla C. Perlas
VP-Communications, The Parentinc
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