Europe Calls For JoJo Maman Bébé

Real Business:

JoJo Maman Bébé founder Laura Tenison is in negotiations with a European group to franchise her £18.5m-turnover maternity and childrenswear company.

Tenison is considering franchise opportunities in Europe and the Middle East to boost international sales, partly to protect the company against currency fluctuations.

She reveals JoJo Maman Bébé came close to assigning a franchise partner at the end of last year. “We’re extremely cautious about who we work with. So much of our UK market is funding this early investment into franchising so we’re protective of our brand,” Tenison says.

“We’ve talked in the past to people in the Middle East, and also in India and China. We’re in no enormous hurry with the franchise operation; we want to be extremely careful.”