Bibado
About the Company
Bibado is a UK-based company specializing in baby feeding products, with a mission to make family mealtimes fun and manageable. The company was launched in 2015, inspired by Rachel’s own experience as a mother struggling with the messiness of feeding young children. Her initial product, the Bibado Coverall Bib, became a hit with parents, particularly due to its unique design that keeps babies’ clothes clean during mealtimes. The company's reach now extends to over 25 countries, supported by a team of 11 employees who work collaboratively to innovate and expand the product range.
The brand centers around encouraging curiosity and interaction during mealtimes, believing that this approach aids in a child’s developmental learning. Bibado has expanded its range to include products like the Dippit, a teether-spoon hybrid, designed to facilitate early-stage feeding. The company’s ethos is heavily focused on helping parents enjoy less stressful, more rewarding meals with their children, a goal that resonates widely with their customer base.
Idea Behind Company
Rachel Wood came up with the idea for Bibado out of necessity, driven by the daily frustration of feeding her twin daughters. Initially, she improvised a solution by repurposing an old umbrella to create a bib that would reduce the cleanup needed after every meal. Recognizing the potential of this invention to help other parents, she decided to develop it further, despite her lack of prior experience in the baby product industry.
Rachel’s vision for Bibado grew from her desire to make mealtimes a positive and engaging experience for both children and parents. Through her background as a dentist, Rachel already had a strong sense of discipline and meticulousness, which helped her navigate the complexities of product development. She saw an opportunity to address an underserved need in the market for practical baby products that could also stimulate children’s learning.
Creating the Company
Starting Bibado required Rachel to learn about product design, safety regulations, and manufacturing from the ground up. The journey began with prototype testing at her kitchen table, with early iterations failing safety tests due to the rigorous standards for baby products. Finding the right design and manufacturing partners was a challenging yet pivotal step, as Rachel sought to balance safety, functionality, and durability in the final product.
Eventually, she found a manufacturing partner in China who helped refine the Bibado Coverall Bib, enhancing the fabric quality and meeting safety requirements. Bibado’s self-funding approach meant Rachel and her team had to manage their resources carefully, learning to optimize production and keep overhead low. Through trial, error, and careful testing, the product evolved to meet the high standards required for distribution across international markets.
Launching the Business
Bibado’s initial launch strategy involved a soft launch focused on direct-to-consumer sales, primarily through social media channels. Rachel leveraged Facebook’s parent-focused communities to spread awareness, where baby-led weaning—a trend of allowing babies to self-feed—was already gaining popularity. By targeting these groups, Bibado was able to create a loyal customer base and foster a community-driven brand image.
Word-of-mouth and customer reviews played a significant role in scaling the business, as parents appreciated Bibado’s solutions to everyday challenges. Rachel expanded marketing efforts across Instagram, Google, and micro-influencers, who helped to raise product visibility authentically. Bibado’s launch was marked by its responsiveness to customer feedback, which allowed for continuous improvement and refinement of its products and marketing strategies.
Earnings
Today, Bibado generates around $400,000 in monthly revenue, driven by robust sales in both direct-to-consumer and third-party channels like Amazon, particularly in North America. The company’s strong financial growth has enabled it to reinvest in product development and marketing, further fueling its expansion into new markets and product lines. The direct sales model in the UK remains the primary sales channel, although Amazon plays a crucial role in North American distribution.
Bibado’s profitability is also attributed to its careful cost management, supported by a dedicated team and a streamlined operations system based in Wales. The success of Bibado’s initial product allowed Rachel to explore new product concepts, like the Dippit, which further diversified Bibado’s revenue streams. The company remains self-funded, though Rachel continues to evaluate funding options to accommodate future growth.
