Siblings Monica Royer and Andy Dunn’s children’s and maternity apparel brand, Monica + Andy, was founded in 2014 as a purely direct-to-consumer business. But as the DTC market changed, the brand started working with Walmart in 2022 on a line of baby clothes. Now, the brand is going even deeper on its wholesale partnership with Walmart as it launches maternity wear in 1,200 Walmart stores around the country.
Royer, who co-founded the brand after she had her own kids, also hosts the business podcast The Mentor Files. Dunn is the founder of Bonobos and was an svp at Walmart after it bought Bonobos until he left in 2020.
Royer said the last year has brought a major shakeup to how Andy + Monica operates, thanks to its wholesale expansion. When it was a pure-play direct-to-consumer business, the company could produce and deliver products in smaller shipments throughout the year. Wholesale, on the other hand, requires delivering partners’ large orders, in full, at the start of a season. During the pandemic, Monica + Andy switched from working with a smaller manufacturer to a larger one, which made partnering with a major retailer like Walmart possible. Walmart’s support was also key, Royer said. The retailer advised on details including product assortment and material sourcing to ensure the creation of the maternity line went smoothly.
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