Bombi: Prioritizing new parents—and the planet

Bombi is on a mission to build a better product and a better customer experience – for parents, by parents.  They have created the first eco-conscious, sustainable baby stroller by eliminating single use plastics in their packaging, reducing excess scrap, and using fabric made from recycled plastic bottles (over 56 bottles per stroller).  

New mom Kelsey Nolan heads up marketing. Mike Fusco handles design. And Chris Parente oversees sales. Together, they’re building an affordable brand that new moms can connect with. Their strollers are designed to be intuitive. They sell direct to consumers, rather than through retailers to pass savings on to their customers. And most important, the brand helps create a more sustainable world.

“We knew we had to build our eco mission into our brand ethos,” Kelsey said. Bombi strollers use fabric made from at least 50% recycled bottles. And they’re shipped with sustainable packaging from FedEx. You won't find any plastic in Bombi's packaging. They opt for recyclable cardboard and paper tape instead. Bombi also works with 1% for the planet to donate to environmental initiatives like the National Forest Foundation and Rozalia Project. Thanks to eco-conscious practices and partnerships, Bombi has saved over one million single-use plastics. And they’ve helped to plant 53 acres of trees.

Bombi sees room for improvement, though. “We have this plan for how we’re going to get to the ultimate goal of being carbon neutral,” Mike said. Seeking out additional eco-friendly partners and improving their carbon offset are key sustainability objectives. As 2024 FedEx® Small Business Grants Program recipients, that’s where they plan to allocate a portion of their Grand Prize.

Bombi will also use grant funds to expand their product line and scale their marketing efforts. But Chris says growth won’t hinder the connection they have with new parents. “As big as we become, we still want to maintain that relationship with the consumer.” A co-founder is at the other end of every call, email, and message (they read them all).

Other relationships play key roles in Bombi’s success, too. They rely on the help of third-party logistics to fulfill orders. They use Shopify for website hosting, marketing, and sales analytics. And they count on FedEx for all kinds of small business support—from getting supplies at their local FedEx Office® to viewing their emissions reports with FedEx® Sustainability Insights. Chris says his FedEx rep, Greg, is always looking to help. “I get calls every seven to 10 days, which is amazing.”

Bombi has its sights set on becoming the top stroller brand. And they believe they’re setting themselves apart by empowering new parents at a vulnerable time. “The learning curve for parents is a vertical wall,” Kelsey said. “Being able to create products that make them feel heard is what drew me to this.”