In one of our most sincere interviews to date, Baby Brands Direct is privileged to have an insight into the current driving force and passion behind the Vital Baby brand, which is Director Dean Tollman. He is a man that travels the world to develop and ensure quality production of purposeful weaning and baby products, to regularly demonstrating and directly interacting with the end users of them at consumer shows. Testament to the dedication and success of Vital Baby is surely the 60 plus awards and increasing global recognition of the orange logo brand; but to Dean it’s the reward and fulfilment of randomly spotting those products in use whilst out with the family.

The Brand

1. When was the brand established and by who? What was the philosophy behind the brand and what is it best known for?

Vital Innovations is a family business that has a long established heritage in specialist baby product design, development, marketing and retailing stretching back over 40 years. The Vital Baby brand itself was born in 2001 internationally and launched in the UK in 2005. Baby’s welfare and developmental progress is at the centre of Vital Baby’s philosophy and providing the safest, best quality product with key meaningful features that actually help babies and parents enjoy the weaning and feeding experience is our top priority.

Our super strong suction bowl (the Unbelievabowl^TM) is our most famous item but our classic soft tip Weaning Spoons are certainly a contender for the number one fame spot! In recent years the Vital Baby offering has now stretched into Healthcare and Bathtime fun too which was a natural progression for the brand.

2. How many awards (total globally) has the brand been accredited with? Why is this important to you? Which one has been the most rewarding?

Vital Baby has won many many awards over the years with a total now exceeding 60! Awards are important to Vital Baby as they bring instant recognition for the quality, innovative functional design and great value that the brand offers. There is no better accolade for this than an industry or consumer voted award of recognition.

3. What consumer shows do you attend and what are the attendance figures like? Why do you do them and what kind of reactions do you receive to the products?

Consumer shows are a critical part of our marketing support strategy for Vital Baby. Vital Baby are currently key sponsors of the Baby & Toddler Show which gives us the chance to expose thousands of mums, dads, grandparents and carers and babies of course, to the world of Vital Baby. I personally attend all of the shows as the opportunity to have face to face conversations with the actual users of Vital Baby products cannot be missed. The interaction between the visitors to the shows and my highly committed team gives us the opportunity to showcase each product and drive consumer trial and use. You could not wish for a more focused audience to promote the benefits of Vital Baby products.

4. How many consumers do you have on your database that you market and educate about your product directly to?

Vital Baby has direct access to over 35,000 consumers through Facebook or our home grown database. Through various social media channels we communicate with our followers daily and every month a dedicated news letter is sent directly to each registered member which details a product focus highlight and seasonally relevant information or tips along with recipe ideas from our in house weaning expert Dr Rana Conway. Additionally we also hold regular webchats with Dr Rana who answers any question fired at her by our interactive Facebook community.

5. What are the top 5 best-selling products in the range?

The ‘top list’ is a close battle and the top 5 positions are a constant fluctuation between, our Weaning and Feeding Spoons, Unbelievabowl^TM, Freezer Pots, Aquaint Sanitising Water and various Bath Toys.

Having said this, with our 8 Piece Start Weaning Kit, 12 Piece Toddler Feeding Kit and the 2 in 1 Steam & Blend, the list is sure to be shaken up next year!

6. In response to what, was the ‘Unbelievabowl Suction Bowl’ developed and why is it unbelievable?

The super strong suction bowl was my brainchild! After the birth of my first daughter I could now draw on my own personal experiences when it came to developing new products. The gap in the market for a suction bowl that actually stuck down was clear. On went the thinking cap and out came the super strong suction bowl – a suction bowl that exceeded the performance of all other existing suction bowls. Of course, it needed a catchy name….and so the Unbelievabowl^TM was born!

7. If retailers are considering stocking the ‘2 in 1 Steam and Blend’ what key points would you like them to know about healthy eating, Mum’s interests and functionality of the product?

Mum always wants the best for their baby! Our 2 in 1 Steam and Blend is the ideal way to make baby’s food as fewer nutrients are lost, with fruit and vegetables retaining more of their wonderful flavours and colours. Steaming and blending in the same jug has the added advantage of saving time and washing up. The possibilities are endless and by giving baby a variety of foods and flavours whilst they are young, the chance of fussy eating later is greatly reduced.

8. You have been known to have sprayed the ‘Aquaint Sanitising Water’ directly into your mouth during a product demonstration at Baby Brands Direct! What makes this product so safe and what can parents use it for?

Vital Baby Aquaint Sanitising Water is truly a wonder product. It is a multipurpose, 100% natural antibacterial Sanitising Water that kills 99.9% of bacteria in seconds. Containing no alcohol, harsh chemicals, fragrances or preservatives. Safe for use on hands and body (from birth) and surfaces (even items that go in the mouth) with no need to rinse. Endorsed by Allergy UK, is suitable for people with allergies or sensitive skin having passed stringent UK drinking water tests, making it the safest eco friendly sanitiser on the market. As a travel companion, Vital Baby Aquaint provides parents with a SINGLE unrivalled level of hygiene in a handy 50ml bottle.

9. Tell us about the logo, colours and packaging used and an insight into the reason behind choosing them.

Hahaha. I love being asked about orange. Even my two little girls associate orange with me! The Vital Baby logo was redesigned in 2009 to simplify and modernise the look. Simple, clear and effective. Just what Vital Baby stands for. Our packaging also had a total overall and a brand new look in 2015 to celebrate Vital Baby’s 10^th anniversary of its UK launch. The clean, uncomplicated look of each pack allows consumers to identify the key product features quickly and clearly, leaving the only decision to be made…which one of our fantastically bright and fun colour combinations to choose?!

10. The Company surpassed many key milestones in 2016, what developments can we look forward to in 2017.

We are all looking forward to 2017. There are many challenges that we face from an economic perspective but Vital Baby will continue to grow at home in the UK and also internationally with many international distributor agreements being finalised now. Of course, new products will be coming to market but I can’t divulge too much information as you would expect. Watch this space and look out for the new product launches in 2017!

About Dean

1. Did you always want to be a part of the family business?

Well, this is an interesting question. Of course, being a family business I have always seen the business change, develop and grow over the years whilst I myself was growing up which I certainly found interesting. During university I was always minded to be involved in business to some degree but I was not clear on the exact direction I wanted to take. However, having completed my degree I was soon asked by my father if I wanted to come and join him in the business and that was an opportunity I was never going to turn down!

2. What do you love most about your work?

I love most things about my work. The challenges of innovating and developing new products has to be the highlight for me from technical input to extensive travel, it really does generate that ‘buzz’. Nothing however, is more rewarding than being out for the day simply minding my own business in a restaurant or shopping centre with family and friends and actually seeing people using my product.

3. Best life experience to date?

Vital Baby is my baby but the best experience in my life today has to be the real life birth of my two beautiful daughters.

4. Favourite movie?

I don’t really get time to watch TV or movies but when I do I’m usually sharing the sofa with my girls being forced to watch the latest Disney blockbuster (AGAIN!) or as they grow up its becoming more about mermaids and the latest American teenage series.

Baby Brands Direct is proud to have added the Vital Baby brand to its wholesale portfolio in 2016 for independents to be able to easily stock in store. With no minimum order value or pack size, retailers have the true flexibility to test and grow their range steadily – and with same day dispatch react quickly to consumer demand.