• HABA family of companies becomes HABA FAMILYGROUP

• Sales target of EUR 500 million set for 2025

• First sustainability report published

Bad Rodach, April 26, 2021 - The HABA family of companies, a provider of products and services for children and families headquartered in Bad Rodach, Franconia, is now operating under a new name: Just in time for the 83rd Birthday on April 26th, the company was renamed HABA FAMILYGROUP. The new name marks an important milestone within the company’s strategic realignment, which began in 2019.

“The demands on us are immense: Purchasing behavior is becoming more digital and markets more international. That is why we have initiated a forward-looking transformation from which we will emerge with a powerful market organization and a strong employer brand,” explains CEO Tim Steffens at a press briefing.

Sabine Habermaass, managing partner, emphasizes: “Despite all the change, we remain true to our roots and our identity as an authentic family business. We work for the most beautiful target group in the world: Children and families; that’s why we always consider the next generation.”

The company’s name change is accompanied by new logos as well as a relaunch of its website. The HABA and JAKO-O brands, as well as the education division with the HABA Digital Workshop, Wehrfritz and project, will continue to present themselves with their own target group-specific websites.

Tradition and future orientation for a diverse industry
Founded in 1938 by Eugen Habermaass, the company is now in its third generation of family success. The target groups are as diverse as the products and services: The family business enriches social, public and private institutions with high-quality premium products in the core areas of family life, play, education, exercise, clothing and furniture. With over 2,000 employees at eight production and sales locations worldwide, the company recently generated sales of EUR 360 million. In addition to its commitment as a training company, family-friendliness is ensured, among other things, by a high degree of flexibility in working hours and a company kindergarten. This creates the conditions for all employees of the company family to contribute in the best possible way.

International growth, firm roots in Upper Franconia
In the new organizational structure, the company pursues clearly defined goals for the future; the focus is on sustainable growth in the coming years. The sales mark of EUR 500 million is targeted for the year 2025.

“The HABA FAMILYGROUP is a leader in offering play and learning experiences for children. In our expansion, we are pursuing a well thought-out mix of analog and digital and will thus also strengthen and expand our position internationally,” explains Steffens.

For example, the e-commerce business is to be expanded, new distribution channels opened and thus the presence in the European market as well as in North America and China significantly increased. At the same time, the family-owned company remains true to its roots in Bad Rodach and is also investing in additional jobs in its home market of Germany: For example, e-commerce activities will be managed from the new capital city office in Berlin in the future, and jobs will also be created on a large scale in Bad Rodach.

Through the pandemic with a broad portfolio
The Corona pandemic affected the HABA FAMILYGROUP’s diverse product line in different ways.

Steffens: “In 2020, there was more play than ever before! The development led to a significant increase in sales for our HABA and JAKO-O brands. In addition, the HABA Digital Workshop teaches children core digital skills that are more authoritative than ever before.”

At the same time, the public sector is showing restraint in its investments, which is having an impact on the educational brands Wehrfritz and project. The first quarter of 2021 is also shaping up very positively thanks to the spring collections for end customers and demand from large online retailers and resellers.

Sustainability strategy for responsible corporate governance
Sustainability continues to play a major role within the new corporate strategy. Both at the product and service level and within the company, there are numerous examples of sustainable business practices. For example, the HABA FAMILYGROUP headquarters in Bad Rodach is built in an environmentally friendly manner and supplies energy through photovoltaic systems and the burning of waste wood from production. HABA and JAKO-O products are manufactured to a high standard and from sustainable raw materials such as wood or recycled fabrics, making them perfect to be passed on and inherited by the next generation. And the competencies and concepts of the educational brands aim to provide long-term support and sustainable encouragement for children and young people.

All activities in the areas of ecology, economy and social affairs are documented in the first sustainability report now published. “We live sustainability in all its facets and have long assumed corporate responsibility in this area. In the future, we will bundle our activities in sustainability as a fixed component of our corporate strategy, continuously develop them and make progress comprehensible,” explains Steffens. The Sustainability Report and an abridged version are available for download at www.habafamilygroup.com.