Morrisons, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket chain, has announced the acquisition of Kiddicare, the online baby and childrens goods retailer in a deal worth £70m. Surprisingly, this is Morrisons first step into the world of e-commerce as it currently has no retail outlet online.
Morrisons fought off competition from a number of private equity firms and recognises the value in the Kiddicare platform, believing the technology and infrastructure currently in place will help it to grow in the online non-food market. Kiddicare products will also begin to feature in-store as part of Morrisons non-food range.
The owners of Kiddicare have all been offered Morrisons jobs, as the retailer recognises that they are the best placed individuals to drive the business forward. Kiddicare will therefore continue to trade as a stand-alone business but Morrisons will assist with warehousing and distribution.
