Swedish kidswear brand Newbie accelerates UK store rollout, eyes global growth in 2026

Newbie is having a growth spurt. Since emerging as a separate business unit from its parent company Kappahl, the Swedish kidswear brand has embarked on an ambitious growth strategy across Europe and the UK, where it has just opened its 11th store. The UK is a priority market for the brand, which has established a dedicated audience among British consumers.

For its latest store, which opened November 20, Newbie took to Ealing Broadway, London, setting up base in a 133 square metre unit. The store itself, arriving on the back of new locations in Bromley, Windsor and Bracknell launched earlier this year, offers a complete wardrobe for children aged 0 to eight years. By selecting Ealing for its latest opening, Newbie is continuing its strategic focus on the south east of England, particularly London, where it has garnered a “strong response” from local communities.

Throughout the UK, in fact, the brand has welcomed positive feedback and is reporting a financial performance that aligns with expectations. In an interview with FashionUnited, Newbie’s UK country manager, Gemma Keenor, said: “We have seen strong steady growth in 2025 due to our store opening strategy. In turn, our LFL store sales and footfall are growing on the previous year, so we are very pleased to see the UK customer enjoying shopping with us.”

Balancing physical growth with digital rollout

Its emphasis on physical stores comes at a time when the ratio between in-person and digital experiences becomes increasingly ambiguous. For Newbie, however, both channels are imperative to its strategy. “In today’s retail market we see that our customers like to shop across multiple channels, therefore being available across all these channels will remain an important focus for us,” Keenor said. “The physical stores help showcase the brand. With every physical store we have opened, we’ve also seen a boost in our online sales. This is a clear indication that physical stores play an important role in building the brand.”

Newbie’s expansion gained new heights in 2023, when Nordic fashion group Kappahl spun the brand off into a separate business unit. At the time, group president and CEO, Elisabeth Peregi, recognised the varying potential of the two labels, and thus wanted to maximise any opportunities that came their way.

Its expansion hasn’t entirely zoned in on the UK market, however. Newbie sees itself becoming a global brand, a mission it is already on its way to, with 35 standalone stores based across Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and the UK. The brand is also available online throughout much of Europe – its German e-commerce site launched this year – and in select Asian countries, as well as Kappahl stores and third-party channels, including Zalando.

Thoughtful approach to business both in expansion and values

When speaking on Newbie’s global vision, Keenor said: “This doesn’t mean being present in every country, but rather being available where there is demand and a need for our timeless style and unique offering. Our expansion plans are grounded in customer insights and analysis. The UK is a prioritised market for us – we receive incredibly positive feedback from our customer.”

Naturally, there are challenges amid expansion. “The current uncertainty caused by the global situation and the economic climate, along with households’ outlook on their finances and purchasing power, affects all of us right now,” Keenor noted. “Looking further ahead, the transition to a sustainable fashion industry is another key challenge – one that will require significant collaboration among us players in the field.”

This thoughtful approach to business already extends into Newbie’s values. The brand’s collections utilise materials like organic cotton and RWS-certified wool, and it has placed further efforts into extending the longevity of its clothing through its Newbie PreLoved programme. According to Keenor, customers have been well engaged with this sustainable side to the business. “The purpose of PreLoved is not to increase sales, but to create a circular business model,” she added.

Looking ahead into 2026, Newbie intends to continue its growth journey, with further expansions and strategic initiatives on the horizon, with a view of strengthening the brand internationally. “Our priorities for 2026 are to evaluate the performance of this [UK] cluster of stores, before deciding on the next steps in our UK expansion,” Keenor concluded.