In 2009, Sinead & Adam Murphy launched their multi award-winning baby goods business, Shnuggle, from the kitchen table, after looking for a moses basket after their first daughter Rose was born.

Fast forward to 2022 and the Northern Ireland-based couple has just been awarded Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for Services to Trade and the Economy in Northern Ireland as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2022. The Queen’s Birthday Honours marks the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the United Kingdom from all walks of life.

We caught up with Sinead and Adam this week and they explained to Nursery Online why they founded Shnuggle – and how the range has expanded since they first launched the business:

“Our daughter, Rose, was very ill as a baby and we couldn’t find a modern, hypoallergenic, quiet Moses basket that we could properly clean. We then went on to have our second child Liam and developed more and more product ideas. After that, we launched our Shnuggle bathtub and began rapidly growing the business from there. While our first product was in the sleep time category, we’ve since expanded with our bedside Air crib, developed an extremely successful bath time category and have just launched our latest product within change time. We now have a broad range of popular products which have all been designed in house with input from all of our team – especially those who have become new parents, which has proved very useful!”

Shnuggle is no stranger to winning awards – but an MBE is an extra-special achievement. How did that come about – and what will that mean for the business?

“When we received notification that we were being awarded MBEs we just couldn’t believe it – we even phoned the Palace to check it was true! We have no idea how it came about but we are so chuffed to have received them. It’s not easy setting up a business and all the worry and responsibility that comes with that. Being recognised for that makes us extremely proud and grateful to everyone who has been involved with Shnuggle so far. Our investors, our Board members, our fabulous team and of course our customers have all played a part in building Shnuggle. Hopefully it will just help to raise Shnuggle’s profile even more.”

What can you tell us about the awards ceremony itself?

“Due to Covid there’s actually a bit of a backlog for formal presentations of the MBE medals, so it may be 2023 before we get to go to the Palace. It’ll be something very special to look forward to and a chance to get dressed up!”

Why should a retailer stock Shnuggle products?

“Our retailers do very well with Shnuggle products because our brand is associated with quality and clever design. We’re very active on social media and are constantly working with influencers and parents to share and promote our products. Customers will come looking for the Shnuggle range. We are a small, friendly team who are supportive and fun to work with too.”

How do you support retailers wishing to stock your products?

“We support our retailers by helping them to design window and shop floor displays. We’re always developing new POS material and have developed great relationships with lots of our special partner retailers who act as brand ambassadors for Shnuggle. Now that travel is easier, we’re also planning to make plenty of store visits for training and anything else our retailers might need.”

What do you enjoy about being in the baby business?

“The nursery industry has always been so welcoming to us. When we began Shnuggle, we were completely new and didn’t know anyone in the industry. We have met some lovely people along the way and have always felt welcome. Any of us in the baby business are so lucky to be involved in such a positive and exciting time in peoples’ lives. There’s a lot of cuteness and so much beautiful design.”

What 3 words would you use to describe Shnuggle?

“There are so many words that fit but if I had to choose three, they would be: Innovative, caring and friendly.”

Can you share any specific plans or developments for Shnuggle for the year ahead?

“We have very recently launched our Eco Touch Nappy Bin and have more exciting products under development in the bath time, play and sleep time categories. We’ll have lots more details in the Autumn and can’t wait to see everyone at Harrogate. Our focus is to continue to grow sales by supporting our retailers and offering new versions of our existing range as well as brand new products.”

About Shnuggle

We support new parents and growing families with products which make their parenting journey easier. Even though they are designed for babies and young children, our products are very much grown up and beautiful in design to complement any home interior design. They are designed to grow and evolve as families grow, offering a complementing range in the Bath, Sleep and Change categories. We are the home of baby bath time with the Shnuggle Baby Bath the preferred choice of baby bath.  Products such as the Shnuggle Air Sleep System, Toddler Bath and Moonlight Nightlight are designed to grow, adapt or follow-on, offering a range to suit as baby grows through those early years. It’s a journey that we take with our customers every step of the way.

Shnuggle now exports to over 40 countries with products sold online via their own website and in major retailers including Next, John Lewis and Mamas & Papas as well as independent nursery stores throughout the UK and Ireland.

Contact details for retailers to find out more:

To become a Shnuggle stockist contact UK Account Manager, Andrew, at andrew@shnuggle.co.uk or telephone 02891 815169

Website – www.shnuggle.com
Facebook/ Instagram – @shnuggle