Indian start-up to doll up kids’ rooms with Barbie furniture

Two-year-old start-up FlyFrog Kids is set to take a giant leap. The Delhi-based kids design and décor venture, founded by architect duo Pooja Kaul and Amita Mahajan, has inked a licensing agreement with international toy major Mattel to launch kid’s furniture and room accessories in India.

Under the agreement, FlyFrog will roll out Barbie- and Hot Wheels-branded furniture and room accessories in India. The co-founders refused to comment on investments, but said they will look to raise funds in the next 6-8 months.

FlyFrog already sells kids furniture and décor products through the online channel under its own brand.

It also offers customised design solutions across 13 cities for kids’ rooms. Kaul, co-founder, FlyFrog Kids, said: “We are the first licensed partner in India for the furniture and room accessories category of Barbie and Hot Wheels.”

These products will be co-branded as FlyFrog and Mattel’s brands’ Barbie and Hot Wheels. The company has already started small pilots to gauge consumer response. It is working on designing and creating a host of products, such as beds, wall hooks, wall art, study tables and night stands, under the licensing agreement.

The company is looking to initially launch kids’ rooms accessories this month, which will be scaled up to other furniture category products by next year.

“We will be distributing them through our select partners with a strong focus on online, since a large majority of our consumers are young moms who are very active online. Our offline strategy is to retail these products through premium outlets, leveraging Mattel’s distribution network where ever possible in the top cities,” Kaul added.

FlyFrog will be using its manufacturing unit in Jaipur for these products. Mahajan, co-founder, FlyFrog Kids, added: “Kids décor is the fastest-growing market in the home décor segment, with a growth rate of 35 per cent, and offers a huge potential as parents are increasingly looking for quality décor and furniture for their kids’ rooms.”

“Barbie and Hot Wheels are iconic brands. This agreement not only strengthens our venture, but also ratifies our capabilities,” Kaul said.