The acquisitions will bolster Haba’s international growth efforts and expand its eCommerce expertise.
Haba Familygroup has announced the acquisition of Bella Luna Toys and its Oompa brand.
Bella Luna Toys, which was previously acquired in 2009 by former Waldorf schoolteacher Sarah Baldwin, offers high quality educational toys made from environmentally friendly, sustainable materials. Since its first year under Sarah’s guiding hand, when it was run from her garage, the business has been significantly expanded. Sarah shares her expertise and knowledge in regular YouTube videos and on the Bella Luna’s social media channels, an approach which has delivered an impressive 57% CAGR over the past 12 years.
“Our goal is to drive sustainable growth, and by purchasing Bella Luna Toys we underline our strategy, which is based on strong customer focus, high quality products, premium brands and an emphasis on international expansion,” said Tim Steffens, CEO of Haba Familygroup. “I am very happy that we can lay another important building block in the future of Haba Familygroup with Bella Luna Toys and Oompa. They fit perfectly with our DNA, enabling us to respond more quickly and flexibly to the market and customer needs in the USA.”
Haba says Bella Luna’s history as a small, family-owned business aligns well with its own 80 year heritage, also as a small, independent family business. Bella Luna will operate as a separate company, with Sarah Baldwin and Chris Percival continuing to head up the merchandising process, using their expertise to choose new products that fit both the Bella Luna and Oompa brands.
Willie Wikov, CEO of Haba USA, the subsidiary Bella Luna and its employees will report into, commented: “The acquisition of Bella Luna Toys is a key step in the five year growth strategy for Haba USA. We are excited to build scale and, in turn, learn as much as we can from Sarah and the extremely talented team she has assembled.
Sarah Baldwin, president of Bella Luna Toys.
January will see Bella Luna Toys double its warehouse space as the company shifts its fulfilment operations to Skaneateles, New York, where Haba USA is based. In a statement, the company said Haba’s experience in B2B and importing will provide opportunities to distribute some of the European brands that Bella Luna offers in the US on a larger scale.
Sarah Baldwin, president of Bella Luna Toys, added: “I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished at Bella Luna Toys over the past 12 years. With the resources of the Haba Familygroup behind us, we can now reach our full potential. Tapping into Haba’s operational expertise in logistics, warehousing and distribution will allow me to focus my time and attention on my passion – curating the most unique collection of speciality toys available online and educating parents and those who care for children on the importance of play and imagination.”
