HABA FamilyGroup has acquired specialty online retailer Bella Luna Toys and Oompa, expanding its e-commerce footprint in the U.S.
Bella Luna and its employees will report to the HABA USA subsidiary, and Bella Luna will continue to operate as a separate company. Sarah Balwin and Chris Percival will continue to lead the merchandising process, choosing new products that fit the Bella Luna and Oompa brands.
Starting next January, Bella Luna Toys will double its warehouse space by moving its fulfillment operations to Skaneateles, New York, where HABA USA is based. HABA’s importing experience will also expand the distribution possibilities for some of the European brands that Bella Luna currently carries in the U.S.
Former Waldorf school teacher Sarah Baldwin acquired Bella Luna Toys in 2009. The brand offers educational, wooden toys made from environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. Balwin operated the business from her garage for its first year and has expanded the company, sharing her experience through regular social media content and delivering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 57% 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 a strong customer focus, high-quality products, premium brands, and an emphasis on international expansion,” says Tim Steffens, CEO of HABA FamilyGroup. “I am very happy that we can lay another important building block in the future of the 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 U.S.”
