When Scotland’s leading ‘Mumpreneurs’ Amy Livingstone and Julie Wilson appeared on TV’s Dragon’s Den in March last year, they were told they had “delusional expectations” with their baby product proposals.
Three years on, and the founders of Cheeky Chompers and inventors of the award-winning Neckerchew have continued to smash through sales targets in their third year of business with a growth of 664% since their first year trading.
The Edinburgh-based business partners are feeling jubilant when The Courier calls them having won the ‘Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at a ceremony in Glasgow the night before.
And it just keeps getting better and better for the mums who are forecasting Cheeky Chompers to grow 200% this year with sales of £1.2 million and with distribution now in 31 countries.
“We met at a doctor’s surgery during ante-natal classes whilst pregnant in Bruntsfield,”Julie says.
“There were a few of us who kept in touch and then went out for coffee.
“We got chatting about traditional teething rings being frustrating because toddlers would throw them away and they’d get dirty. It didn’t make sense that they weren’t attached to the pushchair or the child.
“At that point we were both on maternity leave and, despite not knowing each other too well at that point, decided ‘why not do it’ ourselves.”
Julie, who has experience as a Scottish Enterprise business adviser, and Amy, who was a business development manager with hotels in Edinburgh, drew up a business plan.
They wanted a product that was “practical, stylish and aspirational”.
The first Cheeky Chomper products went on the market in February 2013.
Amy adds: “We looked at everything on the market, looked at the research out there and the quality of materials. We also wanted to make it in the UK. “
They went to three different manufacturers and did a deal with Glasgow’s Totbots.
Fast forward to now and the brand has taken to TV for the first time this year in a series of advertisements to announce the release of its newest product, Chewy, a chewable teething toy which provides baby with a unique sensory experience, set to rival market leader Sophie la Giraffe.
Following a huge success in the UK market in retailers such as M&S, Jojo Maman Bebe, John Lewis and Boots, Cheeky Chompers have taken the international market by storm with products stocked in 31 countries including US retail giants Nordstrom, Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby.
The brand’s exports account for 65% of their total sales. A recent collaboration with British lifestyle brand Joules has gone from strength to strength with the brand extending the range to six designs following record sales.
Amy adds:“This has been our biggest year yet, turning over £850,000 in just eight months. Our main objective with Cheeky Chompers has always been to create products that parents love and trust, making their lives just that little bit easier and as we reach our 500,000th sale it’s clear we’ve managed to do just that.”
www.cheekychompers.com