Target makes big bet on baby

1/17/2019
Target Corp. is adding consumables to its private-label baby brand.

The discounter is expanding its popular Cloud Line baby collection into essentials, including diapers, wipes, toiletries and feeding products. The line launched in May 2017 with a focus on stylish nursery décor, bedding, bath and layette products.

The extension of Cloud Island includes 30 “baby-essential” items, available in store and online, ranging from $0.99 to $21.99, with most items under $10. Target said it worked with hundreds of parents to create the assortment.

The line extension comes as retailers are looking to fill the void left by the shuttering of Babies “R” Us. In reporting its most recent holiday sales, Target noted that the baby category was among its strongest performers.

“With all of Target’s new brands, we think about ways to expand upon the original idea,” said Mark Tritton, executive VP and chief merchandising officer, Target. “As we talked about Cloud Island, the essentials category was always there. The idea was around better-for-you, dependable, affordable and accessible products that are good for your baby and your family. Now, building on the success we’ve seen with the brand over the past year, we’re bringing that idea to life.”

In a Q&A on its website, Robin Beck, a chemist who helped create the new Cloud Line products, said that Target’s internal team, which includes engineers and chemists like herself, created the new products, which were two years in the making, from the ground up.

“We held in-home interviews, focus groups and shopping trips with hundreds of parents to better understand what they’re looking for in baby essentials,” Beck said. “We also worked with pediatricians and dermatologists to verify the product claims so parents can feel confident when purchasing these products.”

For more of the Q&A, click here.
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