The profitable startup connecting brands with parents in SEA

IN FOCUS

In today’s newsletter, we look at:

• Why over 200 brands, including big names like Kraft Heinz and Huggies, are working with this parent-focused startup
• Why Coupang’s rescue of Farfetch may not fix the luxury marketplace’s underlying problem
• Who stands to benefit most from the TikTok-GoTo deal?

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Hi there,

I’m lucky to have been born in Singapore. The ease of travel, a strong economy, and amazing food are some of the perks of living here. Things just work, and that’s something we often take for granted.

However, it’s always good to be reminded of just how small Singapore is, which puts things in perspective. It’s easier to run a country well when you can travel from one end to the other in slightly over an hour.

Reading my colleague Melissa’s article on parenting platform Supermom, which is this week’s featured story, was such a timely reminder.

There are 39,000 newborn babies in Singapore every year, compared to 5 million in Indonesia and 1.3 million in Vietnam.

This is why Supermom, which connects brands with parents, has plans to deepen its operations across Southeast Asia, although Singapore remains a significant market in terms of revenue.

The Singapore-based firm has been profitable since 2015, with the exception of 2020, and is expecting to close 2023 in the black.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Hot Take, I take a closer look at Coupang’s asset acquisition of the fallen luxury retail platform Farfetch.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to wish our readers happy holidays! The Checkout will be back on January 11, 2024.

— Simon

THE BIG STORY

This startup hit the mother lode by tapping into the power of parents

THE HOT TAKE

NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

FYI