Love, Family and Innovation - Edwards & Co
Well-known in New Zealand's baby product industry, Edwards & Co was born from founder Mark Edwards’ desire to make life easier for parents.
After witnessing a frustrated grandparent struggling to fold a bulky pram, eventually abandoning it on the roadside, Mark was struck with a revelation. He approached
his father Warwick and husband Christian with an idea – what if they created their own business to make prams easier?
For someone with a background in corporate HR, freshly returned from Australia, remortgaging his home to finance a brand-new venture from a cowshed, was an immense leap into uncharted waters. It wasn’t smooth sailing, either.
The industry was fiercely competitive, requiring a significant investment of Mark’s personal resources. Mark threw his energies into showcasing his products at baby expos and country pubs. The first year they sold 100 prams; the next, 120. That was the point where Mark decided to redesign the whole range, a process that took three years.
His own experience as a parent, along with feedback from other parents, led to the creation of products like the Oscar stroller, which quickly became the brand’s flagship due to its adaptability and thoughtful design. Each product reflects a personal touch, as Mark envisions items he and his husband would want to use with their own children. This approach has earned the brand a reputation for balancing convenience with style.
Despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards & Co has experienced rapid growth, even doubling sales in 2020, and this year acquired Cariboo, a respected New Zealand-based brand known for its sustainable, high-quality nursery furniture. This addition broadens Edwards & Co’s product offerings, allowing the company to support parents further by providing essentials beyond baby transport. Cariboo’s focus on natural materials and craftsmanship aligns seamlessly with Edwards & Co’s values.
A deeply personal aspect of Edwards & Co’s story is the surrogacy journey of Mark and his husband, Christian. The couple’s path to parenthood was marked by resilience and a profound desire to create a family. Their experiences led them to launch Love Makes a Family, a not-for- profit platform aimed at raising awareness and providing resources for other families navigating surrogacy and alternative paths to parenthood. Through Love Makes a Family, Mark and Christian share their journey and connect with other parents who have taken similar paths, offering support and fostering a sense of community.
What sets Edwards & Co apart is its focus on building a community where parents feel supported, with high-quality, thoughtfully designed products and knowledge. The strollers and accessories are crafted to empower families to embrace their adventures together with ease. With an increasing following in Australia, Edwards & Co has grown from a family business into a trusted resource for families across borders. This commitment to family and community is also evident in the brand’s ongoing charitable efforts, from donating products for raffles to supporting groups like Nurturing Families, Starship Hospital, and the I Have A Dream Foundation.
“As a boutique, family-owned company we understand the ride, because we’ve lived it. We’ve learned, first-hand, the pressures, the frustrations and the joys and seen what matters most. So our design decisions aren’t shaped by global markets, supply chain efficiencies, profit margins or market research. Instead, they come from genuine love and understanding of the little people that will ride in our prams – and the bigger ones that will push them,” Mark says.