modebranchen.NU NU_CFW_AW20-21_WEB_KIDS_lille | Page 31

9 brands IN THE BRANDS4KIDS PORTFOLIO CeLaVi H-022 Color Kids H-021 Creamie H-022 EN FANT H-021A FIXONI H-021A ME TOO H-022 Minymo H-022 NORDIC LABEL H-021A Pippi H-022 COLOR KIDS A CELAVI SUMMARY Despite several years of severe conditions in the children’s clothing industry, Utoft Kids Group A/S and Brands4kids A/S have managed to secure good turnovers and results. Most recently, Brands4kids A/S has acquired brands from Active Sportswear Int. A/S and ended 2019 with a record growth both on the top and the bottom lines. With this merger, the companies prepare them- selves for the future with the following nine-brand portfolio: CeLaVi, Color Kids, Creamie, EN FANT, FIXONI, ME TOO, Minymo, NORDIC LABEL and Pippi. From January 1st 2020, the owners are Claus Utoft, Michael Nederby and Erik Andreæ. The companies will merge all administrative functions including sales, marketing, design and purchasing at the headquarters of Brands4kids in Ikast. The headquarters of Utoft Kids Group in Give will continue to be used as warehouse and logistics centre. The name of the company will be Brands4kids A/S. The three primary persons of the merger are Erik Andreæ, Managing Director, Michael Nederby, Sales Director and Claus Utoft as Sourcing and PL Sales Manager. - By merging the two companies, we continue our high-growth adventure and become one of the big- gest actors in baby and children’s clothing in Scan- dinavia with a wide range of various categories and brands all under one roof. At the same time, we en- sure a consistent high quality in our deliveries and a back-office service, which allows our customers to focus on selling our brands, says Erik Andreæ, Managing Director. Claus Utoft adds: - One of the greatest advantages of gathering all activities under one roof, such as design, purcha- sing as well as sales and marketing is that all our talented employees think about children’s clothing from morning to evening. Being the preferred part- ner has not just to do with our design and expres- sion but, to a far greater extent, how we can effi- ciently source our goods while retaining volume in our purchases. Both Utoft Kids Group A/S and Brands4kids A/S continue to focus on sustainability and with the merger, the company takes yet another significant step in its endeavours to become one of the prefer- red suppliers of sustainable children’s clothing. Today, both companies are GOTS-certified, mem- bers of BSCI and are in the process of becoming part of the BCI (Better Cotton Initiatives).