On October 17, global parent and child focused business Mothercare and Reliance Brands Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary Reliance Brands Holding UK Limited announced a new joint venture for South Asia. The joint venture will own the Mothercare brand and its intellectual property assets across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

“Mothercare has been a trusted name for parents in India for years, and this joint venture marks an exciting new chapter in our partnership,” said Reliance Brands Limited’s managing director Darshan Mehta in a press release. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to work alongside the talented Mothercare team, and this deeper collaboration reflects the strong relationship we’ve built over time. I’m excited about the opportunities this new era brings as we continue to expand the brand’s presence across South Asia.”
 
As part of the agreement, RBL UK will acquire a 51% stake in the joint venture for a cash consideration of £16 million and Mothercare Global Brand Limited will retain the remaining 49%. Aiming to unlock new growth opportunities in South Asian nations, the joint venture, named JVCO 2024 Ltd, will act as the franchisor of the Mothercare brand and harness both business’ networks to reach new customers.
 
“Today’s agreement strengthens our operations in South Asia through an even closer working relationship with Reliance, our existing valued franchise partner, and underlines the intrinsic value of the Mothercare brand strength,” said Mothercare’s chairman Clive Whiley. “We have renewed confidence in the opportunity that this reinvigorated joint-venture now presents.  We look forward to working even more closely with Reliance Brands as our joint venture partner and not just as a franchisee in the region, moving forward together.”
 
Reliance Brands originally acquired rights to UK-based business Mothercare for the Indian market in 2018. Along with a presence spanning multiple online platforms in India, the business operates 87 Mothercare stores in 25 cities in the country. Aiming to ensure brand consistency and customer engagement, JVCO 2024 Ltd will now manage and franchise Mothercare across five South Asian nations.