1Mby1M Deal Radar 2019: Cadenshae, Whangarei, New Zealand

Cadenshae is an activewear company that targets the niche market of pregnant women and nursing moms. They ensure that pregnant women and mothers around the world can work out and feed their babies in style and comfort, all the while feeling completely supported.

Cadenshae was founded by personal trainers Adam and Nikki Clarke in 2015. The idea for Cadenshae was conceived in 2013 when Nikki had her first daughter Caden Shae and she couldn’t find appropriate clothes that she could wear to the gym, work out in, and breastfeed her baby.

Keeping active, being healthy and feeling good was very important to both Adam and Nikki, so when Nikki felt she was being limited by her clothing, they set out to create a range that would not only help Nikki on her own breastfeeding journey but would also solve a problem for mothers worldwide. They first launched Cadenshae in 2015, just days after the birth of their second daughter Ryan. Since then, Cadenshae has grown to be a global brand helping moms all around the world.

The Cadenshae product carousel includes nursing sports bras, leggings, shorts and other sportswear that allows for quick and easy breastfeeding access such as tanks, tops, t-shirts, and hoodies. It focuses on women who are in the early stages of pregnancy so that it can look after them from the beginning of their motherhood journey and well beyond.

When Cadenshae started out, there were no companies specializing in activewear for pregnant or nursing moms. Today, there are few companies around who have tried to copy their business. Other competitors include Maze Activewear and Krew Active. However, it still remains one of the very few companies servicing a previously neglected niche.

The main differentiating factor for Cadenshae is that it is more than a clothing brand, it is inclusive and  has formed a caring community of parents, taking care of pregnant and new mothers (and fathers!) during the most powerful time of their lives. It also has a very creative team that keeps comping up with new designs and ideas.

Cadenshae gained initial traction by focusing on collaborations with influencers and providing top customer service. In its first year, it had revenue of over NZ$300,000 (~$200,000). It is highly profitable. In 2020, the company expects a turnover of about NZ$7 million (~$4.7 million). Cadenshae now employs 20 people and has become a leading activewear brand for pregnant and nursing mothers worldwide. Its top target markets are Australia, New Zealand, UK, US, and Canada.

Prior to starting Cadenshae, Nikki had a little business experience as a co-owner of a health and wellness centre in Melbourne, Australia but had absolutely no fashion/design/e-commerce or retail experience. Adam initially supported the venture both financially and by being the primary caregiver for their four children so that Nikki was able to focus on the business. But as the company expanded, Adam now plays a vital role as the co-founder/owner and operations manager.

Cadenshae is headquartered in Whangarei, New Zealand. It has a smaller office in Central Otago in the South Island of New Zealand to ensure that both islands are covered. It also plans to open warehouses or offices in its four other major markets of Australia, UK, US, and Canada in the near future.

Nikki and Adam have bootstrapped the company and intend to continue bootstrapping in order to have complete control of the company. They have toyed with the idea of getting an investor, but this is not something that will be happening in the immediate future as they are doing well on their own. However, they haven’t ruled out investor input in the future.

This segment is a part in the series : 1Mby1M Deal Radar 2019