Interview: Baby Journey meets Unna

Swedish start-up Unna was founded with the vision to break the stigma surrounding breastfeeding. With the first Swedish-made and organic products in the replacement category, founders Linnea and Vendela want to offer a safe alternative if breastfeeding does not work, or as a supplement. Although the products have only been on the market since this year, Unna has already been featured on the TV program Draknästet and has been launched in major grocery chains such as Coop, ICA stores and the major online pharmacies.

We spoke to Linnea and Vendela to find out how Unna as a brand stands out in the market, and what insights they have gained about the target group of expectant and new parents since the start of Unna.

Hi Linnea and Vendela, for those who don't know Unna already. What are you doing?

We are a new brand in baby food. We offer the first Swedish-made organic substitute on the market!

How did the idea of selling infant formula and follow-on formula come about?

It is an interesting category for several reasons. Firstly, because it is vital, these
products must be available and furthermore there is a constant demand for replacement, it is
nothing that goes into trends.

We saw early on how few options there are in the category, how incredibly quality-sensitive the customer for these goods is, and how well Swedish values and organic would fit here. Finally, we also saw how brand-conscious new parents are, and saw room to build a brand here, which the customer will hopefully be able to relate to. Something new, with a new tone of voice and new design language.

What distinguishes your product from other similar products on the market today?

There is no other organic, Swedish-produced alternative today. Nor is there any other new one, and certainly no small-scale alternative. The competitors are giant food companies with a plethora of other products under their umbrellas, and they haven't done much in the way of innovation when it comes to their substitutes. We are a brand created for parents, by parents, and believe that those who discover us see added value in buying organic, small-scale and from a brand they can identify with.

Are there any insights about the target group that have surprised you? Which one?

The fact that so many people get in touch and share various challenges they have faced in
feeding. We knew that it is a topic that engages and is very central when
you are a new parent, but we are very happy to see that many write to us with
both big and small. It shows a willingness to interact with us as a brand!

What do you think will be more important for brands to consider when communicating with tomorrow's parents?

Our guess is that the demand for authenticity, transparency and originality will increase. Customers will probably be even more skeptical of traditional product advertising and also of purchased influencer collaborations, unless they feel completely genuine. There will certainly also be greater demands for brands to take a stand on various issues, and to be inclusive and nuanced in their communication.

Where will you be with Unna in 3 years?

We are established with a significant market share here in the Swedish market. We also reach our customer in foreign markets, partly via D2C and partly via retail. Eventually, we have expanded our product portfolio into related categories.

Read more about Unna here: https://www.unna-baby.com/