Help and support for exporting

Based in Newtownards, County Down, Shnuggle designs innovative baby products to make parenting easier.

The company has grown into a multi-award-winning baby brand, trusted by parents around the world. Today, Shnuggle exports to more than 40 countries, with its largest markets in South Korea, New Zealand and the USA.

Sinead Murphy, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, explains how the business began its export journey, the support received along the way, and how it managed challenges to reach new markets.

Preparing to export

“When exploring a new market, we consider a range of factors. We look at cultural differences, popular baby products and the success of other brands in that market. Exhibiting at major industry trade shows has also been important - it allows us to meet potential business-to-business customers from new markets who are often keen to represent our brand.”

“At Shnuggle, product safety and quality are always our top priorities. Each product goes through extensive safety testing, and different markets often have their own additional requirement beyond those in the UK or EU.”

“Some partners prefer to create their own marketing materials, while others use the UK version of our assets. We work closely with them to maintain brand consistency while adapting to local needs.”

“Exporting now represents almost 50% of Shnuggle’s business. When we first launched, we sold to customers in the UK and Ireland. Expanding into global markets has been transformative for our company.”

Business challenges

“International growth has brought challenges, but none that we haven’t been able to overcome. As your products gain popularity, the risk of imitation increases. However, being the original brand owner and designer gives you the options to protect and reduce this risk.”

“Staying informed about economic, social and environmental changes in each market is also important. We’ve experienced occasional disruptions from extreme weather events and elections, so maintaining regular contact with our overseas partners is essential.”

Events and networking

“We’ve exhibited at major trade fairs across Europe, the USA and China, and we also support partners to showcase the brand in their own markets.”

“Our first major trade mission was through Invest NI’s Going Dutch programme, which helped a small group of local brands meet with potential distributors in Amsterdam. That experience led to our launch in the Netherlands, and we then applied the same approach to entering other new markets.”

“Entering a new market can sometimes seem daunting. A strong network in your target market is invaluable. The Invest NI teams in offices around the world have been a great source of support. Their local experts have helped us research baby retail trends within those markets.”

Support and guidance

“Over the years, Shnuggle has benefited from support and guidance from various organisations. Our first Business Bootcamp was provided by our local council, Ards and North Down, where we were matched with a business mentor who helped us the business basics and later joined our board.”

“As an Invest NI client, we received support to attend trade shows, recruit new staff and deliver marketing activity. We also took part in an InterTradeIreland sales development programme, which helped us grow cross-border trade. Through the Springboard programme, and with guidance from a business mentor, we were better prepared to pitch for investment as we continued to grow and scale.”

“Compared to our industry peers in Great Britain, we’ve had excellent opportunities to access support, including funding for travel and international exhibitions - support that has been crucial in helping us compete on the world stage.”

“Access to business funding information has improved greatly since we started Shnuggle. It was once difficult to know what was available, but now it’s much easier to search online and find support based on your business needs.”

“We’ve built a brand that’s recognised worldwide for safety and quality, as well as a workplace where our team can develop their skills and grow with us.”