The best time to be a baby, is now… and how! A plethora of luxurious products and services coupled with options available for personalization and customization are all ensuring that your baby/toddler feels like royalty, finds Reshma O. Pathare.
The babycare market in India is on a boom. A research paper published on Novonous.com says, the baby-care market in India is set to grow at a CAGR of 13.66 per cent by 2020, with the spending per child set to increase from #6,917 to #14,079 on an average. A spurt in foreign brands and concepts coming to India and finding appeal with globally-exposed and well-educated parents with high disposable income and easy access to e-commerce has primarily fuelled the demand for ‘something unique’ for babies/toddlers hailing from Tier I and II cities. With families becoming nuclear and couples opting to have one or at max, two children, they want nothing but the best topped with a dash of exclusivity to add to the differentiator quotient. Naiyya Saggi, Founder & CEO, BabyChakra, a social discovery platform for young parents avers that today’s parents settle for nothing less than best for their child, as is seen reflected in the rise in enquirers on services such as child photographers, organic foods and clothing, kid salons and event venues. “In the period June-November 2016, BabyChakra saw a 74 per cent rise in the number of calls made to paediatric specialists (including paediatric dentists, play therapists, speech therapists, etc.); 46 per cent rise in calls to salons for children, which is a niche space with a steady demand; 48 per cent increase in calls for event venues for throwing lavish birthday parties; and 52 per cent jump in queries for entertainment services like indoor soft-play areas. Even the wellness space is hot for babies and mums. There has been a178 per cent increase in inquiries for mom and baby nutritionists, pointing to the informed way in which mothers want to address concerns regarding their kid's eating habits.”
On a new wave
Indeed, this reflects a new wave of conscious parenting where every parent is trying to be the best provider and caregiver he/she can be. The wave sees indulgence, practicality and the desire to be a cut above the rest, go hand-in-hand; thus leading to the emergence of high-end and often customised products and services that soon find a huge demand from parents in the metros and beyond (too). Dr Priyanka Bhoir, Founder & MD of Baby’s Castle, a baby spa and aqua-therapy centre in Mumbai, makes a pertinent point as she says, “I believe that the baby care industry is one of the most evolving and innovative industry. Nowadays, the internet has reached everyone, the world is becoming smaller. Today’s mothers are well educated and independent. They do their own research when it comes to giving the best care to their babies. They are aware of what the global trends are in terms of baby care and they want to give the same to their little bundle of joy. From the past 10 years, the per capita expenditure has increased drastically and parents don’t think twice before spending on their babies if they think the products and services are worth it. Though India is a country where a lot of myth and traditional ideas prevail around baby care, the modern and educated parents understand the importance of contemporary baby care practices which are scientifically modified compared to the traditional version.”
Opening Pandora's Box
The options that have become available for Indian parents to pamper their children, are becoming limitless with each passing day. Even as something as common as shoes and clothes are becoming fashion-designed, there are also services like the baby spa and customised packaged tours designed for babies/toddlers, that parents can opt for to make life cushy for the little ones. Deepak Chhabra, MD, Crocs India, states that while their brand caters to adults and kids both, the latter forms an important 15 per cent chunk of their buyers. “Children between 1-12 years of age from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Pune form a major bracket of our buyers. Our products in 20 offbeat colours that are available in a large licensed character product portfolio such as Disney, Frozen, Star Wars etc, make it irresistible to this segment.” Kiddie clothes too are becoming trendier than ever, so much so that fashion designers like Archana Kochhar have jumped onto the bandwagon for the huge demand it has. “There are not many fashion brands that cater to this group but kids are forming a major chunk of my clientele because all parents (who are internet-savvy and well-exposed to trends) want their kids to look modern and wear clothes which are in sync with the latest fashion trends. They want their child to stand out in the crowd. That is why, my line, which caters to kids from 2-14 years of age has got a huge response from India and abroad" says Kochhar. Her sentiments are echoed by Pia Desai-Pasricha, Partner, Mommy A-Z an apparel brand for kids up to 7 years of age. "We have a Facebook group called Mommy A-Z that brings together young mothers and parents to help each other from first-hand experience. It was through feedback from this group that we got the idea for pure cotton, well-styled children's clothes as many parents found it difficult to find these kinds of products.”
Customization is the name of the game
Going a step ahead, parents also want to make the experience ultra-luxe for their moppets, by curating and customizing stuff to fit their needs just so. “It is a combination of higher spending power, smaller families and access to e-commercecoupled with parents’ desire to give everything to their kids what they themselves did not have as children,” explains Puja Dalal, Co-Founder of My Baby Babbles, an online store that beholds an array customized novelty products from stationery to room decor, for babies and toddlers. Her products, priced between #2,000-#20,000, are very popular in metros and especially in Tier II cities like Haryana, Salem and Kota. “My clients love to customise their kid’s return birthday gifts, bedding sets, apparel etc. to help give it that special touch,” she says. Prachi Kagzi, an avid traveller who developed Little Passports to curate child-friendly vacations, says, “Going beyond clothes and shoes, parents today also want their kids to be well-travelled from a very young age. They look at it as a well-invested edutainment avenue that makes kids aware and smart from early on. But the parents are also well-read and thus want to make sure that their child travels safely and in hygienic conditions. I help such parents curate holidays for kids as young as three years. The itinerary is made such that there is always something interesting for the child to explore, so that he/she can take back maximum fun and learning from the experience.”
The list is endless. Suffice to say, parents are leaving no stone unturned to see that their children get the best of resources to make them unique, smart and happy individuals. Clearly, there’s no better time than now to think wistfully Hum bhi agar bacche hote…!
