Outdoor brand Reima will take over fellow Nordic outfit Finnish Baby Box

A Nordic brand that has recently launched its children’s outdoor clothing range in the UK has expanded with the acquisition of a specialist baby goods supplier.

Reima, based in Vantaa, Finland, has bought Finnish Baby Box, which sells starter kits for first-time parents.

Reima, which was founded in 1944, is a leading Nordic children’s functional clothing brand. The company employs about 220 people and had sales of €74.5m in 2015. The company’s products are sold in 30 countries across three continents.

Finnish Baby Box was formed in 2014 by three fathers and sells direct to customers online. The company’s products are based on a Finnish maternity package. Since 1938, Finland has been giving out free maternity packages to expecting families. Finnish baby boxes are cardboard boxes packed with a variety of items and clothes for taking care of a newborn baby. The box itself can be used as the baby’s first bed.

Elina Björklund, chief executive of Reima, said: “Finnish Baby Box is a magnificent example of an innovative, global online start-up company which has been able to quickly grow by utilising digital possibilities.

“I believe that with the help of their online experience we can improve our agility and further strengthen our digital skills. For Reima this acquisition is a natural strategic step, which allows us to increase the service level of our products and amplify great customer experiences.

“We warmly welcome Finnish Baby Box to be a part of Reima. The service concept has now been tested with baby boxes, and we look forward to expanding it to older age groups.”

Reima aims to raise its own digital channels’ share to 25 per cent of its total sales by the year 2020, from the current 10 percent.

Heikki Tiittanen, chief executive of Finnish Baby Box, said: “Reima offers us an excellent platform for growth.

“The company’s long experience in kids’ wear along with its international knowledge will support us and help us to continue to grow our business rapidly. Our views on the future of digital services are well aligned, and we have great expectations for our future cooperation.”

This new business venture will launch officially on New Year’s Day.